Re-advertising of post

Morning everyone,

To summarize, I applied for a post in January last which is in my field of expertise, and had all the required qualifications etc. Was called for interview in mid February and did a quite intensive and comphrensive 50 minutes with a four person interview board. My initial reaction afterwards was that there was a couple of points I should have done better on but whats done is done. From memory there were a total of 6 persons called to the interview. Approx mid march got the letter saying unsuccessful but welcome to re-apply for anything relevant in the future.

On Wednesday of this week I was on the website where the original post had been advertised and there it is again with a new closing date but everything else identical to before ! Rang the contact person given for informal enquiries and turns out that nobody was appointed from the original process.
My question is this : I would love to secure this position. To apply one has to send CV plus a sort of "what I would do to achieve the objectives specified " outline plan. I can do all that, I have already from before, I also know now where I need to strengthen this outline plan. My worry would be that the previous application process would be overshadowing the new one to the detriment of the new process. There is a likelihood that 2 members of the previous board would be on this new board.
My gut instinct is to give it a shot, if the previous application comes up I would intend to say that I used that as a preparation point and reviewed my submission to improve same,

What do you think ? All comments welcomed, apologies for the length of post.

westgolf

Go for it

Hi WG

This is not an unusual situation. In many job selection processes, the criteria are such that an interview board finds itself unable to appoint the suitable candidate. They will review their candidate criteria and the experience of the first interview should enable you to improve your performance for the next. This applies equally to the otehr candidates too!

The new board will hardly recall your earlier interview and it would be bad form for them to refer to it. You have nothing to lose and all to gain. I had a similar experience in my application for my current career and it was second time lucky! Slim

Is it in the public sector? Do you have a right to see the interview notes and assessment notes? Not sure that asking for them would help you as it might put them off.

It's probably a good idea after "failing" an interview, to ring and ask for feedback. Although it's a bit late for that now.

I don't think a changed business plan would do it for you.

They obviously decided in February that you were not suitable for the post. You will have to address this issue. Something along the lines of "I felt that I did not present myself to best advantage in the interview back in February. I did not highlight the following..."

re

@ slim,

Thanks for that, can I ask was there any significant differences in your application or approach to the second time around ?

@ Brendan

Hi Brendan, as you stated at the end of your reply I would be taking that strategy and turning it to my (hopefully) benefit/advantage. The job is in the private sector but the employer receives a significant portion of its income from HSE for services provided. To date there would not have been a defined path for post interview feedback but I consider it to be too late now anyway.
I don't expect to just submit a changed "business plan" but what I am planning to do is to use the experience of the first time around to refocus and sharpen this submission to make it more exact and tailored to the post.

westgolf

An update on the above.

I decided to go for it,( thanks Slim ) and I rang the contact person listed under "informal enquiries to..". She was very helpful and said that they were approaching the situation as if the first recruitment drive had not occurred. So I redrafted my application and refocused the submission. I developed a robust strategy which is more detailed than the first time and more specific to the particular post being interviewed. The submission is more detailed and specialised than before and I also included a role specific series of measurable indicators on a time line of approx 30 months that would act as a progress map. The employer has a 5 year plan in place and I have read it thoroughly and have also worked this plan into my indicators and submission.

Now all I have to do is sit and wait and see what happens.

Westgolf

Best of luck Westgate. Let us know how you get on.

Westgolf said:

An update on the above.

I decided to go for it,( thanks Slim ) and I rang the contact person listed under "informal enquiries to..". She was very helpful and said that they were approaching the situation as if the first recruitment drive had not occurred. So I redrafted my application and refocused the submission. I developed a robust strategy which is more detailed than the first time and more specific to the particular post being interviewed. The submission is more detailed and specialised than before and I also included a role specific series of measurable indicators on a time line of approx 30 months that would act as a progress map. The employer has a 5 year plan in place and I have read it thoroughly and have also worked this plan into my indicators and submission.

Now all I have to do is sit and wait and see what happens.

Westgolf

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Good news westie. I missed your earlier post. In my case, I got lucky and boned up on a particular technical aspect of the job and impressed enough to get the job. Didn't like it though and, after 2.5 years, was able to get a sideways move which has worked out better.

Good luck with the application. S

Re: Update

@ purple,@ slim

Thank you both for the kind comments and encouragement. Will keep you posted.

Westgolf

Re: Update

An update : received email today with interview appointment and other attachments relating to background information and general objectives. Seems much more professionally organised this time. Time to start preparing !

westgolf

Westgolf said:

An update : received email today with interview appointment and other attachments relating to background information and general objectives. Seems much more professionally organised this time. Time to start preparing !

westgolf

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Best of luck with interview

Westgolf said:

An update : received email today with interview appointment and other attachments relating to background information and general objectives. Seems much more professionally organised this time. Time to start preparing !

westgolf

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Best of luck. Hope it goes well!

An Update:

Hi All,

Apologies for the length of time between posts. As above received the interview appointment and confirmed attendance immediately.Got approx two weeks notice of interview so all good so far. Then one week later got a phone call asking to push the interview out by a week. I agreed and got confirmation of the revised details by email that evening.

Anyway interview came around and was there in plenty of time to settle myself and do some last minute run through. Invited in and it was a 4 person board this time with two members from the previous outing. Did a quite comprehensive presentation and was pleased with how it went. Each board member then asked questions and I was happy with my performance with each one. The individual board member whom I would have been most concerned about gave me a very fair hearing, he was quite investigative in his questioning but once he saw that I was covering / answering his point sufficently he moved on. The board chairperson then finished up the interview by explaining how they saw this post developing and how there was an urgent need to get someone" on the ground active".

Followed up on things 2 weeks later with the contact person and was told that nothing done yet due to holidays and sick leave, fair enough.

About a week later met one of the other interviewees at a social occasion and he commented that he had enquired the day before and there was still no appointment. As its gone on for so long at this stage (remember original process started January 2014)and with all the chopping and changing I am beginning to think that I may not want to work for this employer if I was to be offered the position. However I put such an effort in that I think its poor form not to at least email me with the bad news or at least update all the interviewees with the current situation.

Thoughts ?? Apologies for the length of the post.

Westgolf

HI Westgolf. I'm a believer that no news is good news. You strike me as the kind of person who gets on with the job and will perform out of your skin once appointed.

Were the people on the board of interview afraid you might have the ability to outperform them?

One point though (and I am not great on interviews; in fact I talked myself out of several jobs and perhaps this sounds stupid?). Did you overperform? Was the board of the opinion that job was beneath your capabilities?

I ask these questions just in passing.

Hi westgolf. First, glad you felt you did a good interview. My gut feeling is that they are negotiating with another candidate. However, if you have not received regrets, you may still be in the frame. Best of luck. S.

Leper said:

HI Westgolf. I'm a believer that no news is good news. You strike me as the kind of person who gets on with the job and will perform out of your skin once appointed.

Were the people on the board of interview afraid you might have the ability to outperform them?

One point though (and I am not great on interviews; in fact I talked myself out of several jobs and perhaps this sounds stupid?). Did you overperform? Was the board of the opinion that job was beneath your capabilities?

I ask these questions just in passing.

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Hi Leper

I don't think that I over performed as such, gut instinct leaving was good, happy with performance, got my main points across and presented well. I don't think they would be of the opinion that it is beneath me, I explained my strategy and also my operational plans and intertwined both. You have me figured quite well, get on with things type of attitude. Thanks again for the kind comments, will have to wait and see

Westgolf

Slim said:

Hi westgolf. First, glad you felt you did a good interview. My gut feeling is that they are negotiating with another candidate. However, if you have not received regrets, you may still be in the frame. Best of luck. S.

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Hi Slim,

As I said to Leper, will have to wait and see, definitely agree that there is some kind of background thing going on but who knows. Thanks again

westgolf