Do internal candidates always get the job?

cassie55

I've got an interview on Thursday. They had over 100 applicants and the agency sent 8 or so CVs to the employer.

I have been shortlisted and been told they are interviewing 3 external candidates and one internal.

When I heard that my heart sank. All other interviews I have had where they have been internal candidates, the job has gone to the internal person.

So, what's everyone's experience? Does it always go to the internal candidate?

mrsormrod

no.
im my place of work a position came available and a few staff went for it but didnt get it.(lack of experience) an external person got it.

wontfallforit

In a word to answer your title question: no.

I've seen fellow colleagues on secondment for better/higher positions, apply for them permanently, and be passed up in favour of external candidates.

I was also in a similar situation in a previous job. I was seconded into a management role, beaten to the job by an external candidate, and then had to train the new recruit :rotfl:

They left (nothing to do with me!), and I eventually managed to secure the job permanently myself.

jillymit

Congratulations.
In answer to your question and on a positive note........
Not always, no. Try and look at it another way.
Although they may have an advantage knowing the place it might be a case that they are not always suitable for the post and that's the reason the job has been advertised and they are interviewing others from outside the firm.

They (the company) may have more than one vacancy, another one coming up soon or if the internal candidate gets the advertised job their old job (which may not be much different) then becomes up for grabs.

Good luck for Thursday.

DCFC79

It depends on the experience that the internal candidates posses and if they are either better or worse than the external candidates

olly300

Nope. I worked in a company where they were seeking 2 roles at the same level.

There were 2 internal candidates A and B, but only A got the role while I was recruited externally due to the B not being good enough.

I only found this out by when I was talking to the guy who replaced the role of the A who was horrified about the lack of knowledge of B. However B not getting promoted was the kick up the backside he needed because he waited a few months, read up and got another job else where.

terra_ferma

You can't tell, it will depend on the calibre of the internal candidates.

I've interviewed for management positions, and sometimes I know there is someone internal who would be very good, other times someone may get it because the position is difficult to fill.
But sometimes you get people who you know are not suitable/ready and you look for a good external candidate.

Think about what you may have that an internal candidate would not have, for example knowledge of competitors, a new market, additional systems etc.
If you have been selected from a pool of 100 people it means that you definitely meet their criteria!

Good luck!

Oldernotwiser

I was offered a job once where the internal candidate didn't get it because he didn't interview well!

Zazen999

No - sometimes they interview the internal because they have to be seen to be offering them the opportunity - but anyone with any sense will take the best person for the job.

Just be that person that is best for that job next week.

exup

No - I applied for a job where 5 positions were available and all went to outside candidates - The reason I was given was lack of experience, unfortunately this turned out to be untrue as they had no experience whatsoever, but my application wasnt taken seriously due to being possibly overqualified. On later talking to the department manager he asked why I had the advanced qualifications I had and applied for the position. Thinking I would have left after a couple of months for a better job was a worry they had. Despite having worked for the same company now in a different department for nearly 10 years

cassie55

Thanks everyone.

I'll definitely give it my best go.