Got an interview. Think I know the person interviewing

MrsManda

My husband works in the public sector and for his last two jobs he's been interviewed by people who know him either through direct contact or reputation. It would have been unreasonable to change the interviewers to make sure they didn't know him as in his line of work it'd be likely he'd be being interviewed either by people who were unqualified to judge his answers or the organisation would have had to pay a consultancy firm to carry out the interview.
As Zazen said, the higher the position you go for, the more likely it is that you will know the interviewer, or at least that the interviewers will know a number of the candidates.

SueC_2

spendaholiceejit wrote: »

It's public sector.

I went for an interview a few months back, and the lady being interviewed after me obviously knew the staff at the firm. when she arrived in I could hear the receptionist greeting her by name and they were having a great laugh together. I had done a cracking interview. But didn't get the job (they did offer me an alternative one but I declined)

Anyway, I always think that the woman after me had a better chance which was unfair. That's what I worry about here.

Re-consider what you're saying... in the instance above you felt the other candidate was at an advantage because she new people in the organisation... yet in your own case you feel you will be at a disadvantage for exactly the same reason.

Truth is - it could go either way, and you'll probably never know whether whatever decision that is reached was affected by your previous relationship with this person.

Go to the interview, give it your best shot, and hope for the best!

brokeinwales

I think it would be sensible to declare it.

I remember my Mum being in a similar situation a few years ago having previously worked with someone on the interview panel (I imagine it's fairly common, as if you stay in the same industry, in the same area, you're bound to keep coming across the same people). She just rang the person the interview invitation was from and said she felt they ought to know that she knew one of the panel on a personal level (though didn't ask for any action to be taken, jsut made them aware) - on the day of the interview the known person wasn't on the panel after all (may or may not have been a result of her call - soemtimes they change these things at the last minute anyway).

Either way, I think you ought to tell them - they will aprreciate the honesty. But this person is likely only a small aprt of the decision process anyway - if they do say anything undeservedly negative, you will also have other less biased members of the panel fighting your corner, so don't sweat it.

jocooke_2

hi, wonder if any one can help me, i went for a job interview, only has a cleaner, which ive add many years training and experiences in, the job a applied for, was to be a cleaner in a school. im a single mother to 3 children, 3 of us got shortlisted for the job, the one girl told me this who was also getting interviewed, i asked her how she know and she told me the school govenor told her has it was her next door neighbour, i went into my interview and there where a panel off 3, the head teacher, the team leader of cleaning, and guess, yeah the school govenor whom was thats girls next door neighbour,didnt think that was fair straight away, but who was i to say any think, i perpared for this interview like you wouldnt believe!! and i thought the interview went great and add high hopes, has the girl i spoke to previously hadnt worked for 5 years, plus the places she worked for add been shut done so no good for references, what she did tell me was, she add put the school govenor done for her refernces, he next door neighbour. i thought it would have to be a exployer who could do these, i didnt stand a chance, and yes she got the job, im not knocking the girl fair play she got the job, i didnt, but i think it was so unfair, and i want to know if i can do any thing a bout it, the reason i didnt get the job cus they reacon the girls anwers where stronger than mine, i feel that was just an excuse, that girl got the job before she even worked in

Googlewhacker

unless you have proof I can't see there is alot you can do. Some jobs are who you now not what you know whereas the employer needs to show they are doing the right thing.

Maybe see what ACAS say?

mountainofdebt

I must admit I went for a job where I knew one of the managers knew my OH and it turned out he was on the interview panel. At the interview he was very quiet and didn't really ask any questions.

Anyway I got the job and although everyone knew that I knew him nothing was said, I always felt that there was more of a reason for me to perform well given this.

SnowyOwl_2

OP - it's impossible to determine if anyone holds a grudge! I don't think you need to do anything prior to your interview. If this person will be interviewing you then they will have spotted that you studied together when going through the short listing procedure. They are in a position of trust and responsbility, so perhaps they have matured a bit. Do refer to having previously met at the start of the interview - something like remembering them from university. IMO it's only necessary to raise the issue before the interview if you have been told by the organisation who will be interviewing you and they have asked you to declare any relationships or connections with those people.

Savvy_Sue

Jo, welcome to the boards but who said life was fair?

If you haven't got employers you can use for referees, it's quite usual to use someone of standing within the community. One of our newest employees did a student placement with us, so used one of our managers as a referee, perfectly reasonably. They got the job because they WERE the best applicant, not because we knew them already.

Even if they had decided to give her the job before she walked through the door, how would you demonstrate that, and how would you demonstrate that you should have been appointed rather than her? That's right, you can't.

Good luck with your job hunting.

jocooke_2

hi again thanks for your replys, i do understand, the better girl won lol, i was just a bit up set off it all, just seemed unfair, any way turns out the girl needs a job now and doesnt want to wait till september to start, so has resigned already, even tho she new she would have to have cbr sent for which takes weeks n weeks lol, the head teacher phoned me and asked me if id like to take the job, well im sorry but i said no, i told her i felt it was an unfair interview told her the reasons, and i wasnt good enough for the job last week then i certaintly aint now!! so still job hunting for me, :rotfl:

Zazen999

jocooke wrote: »

hi again thanks for your replys, i do understand, the better girl won lol, i was just a bit up set off it all, just seemed unfair, any way turns out the girl needs a job now and doesnt want to wait till september to start, so has resigned already, even tho she new she would have to have cbr sent for which takes weeks n weeks lol, the head teacher phoned me and asked me if id like to take the job, well im sorry but i said no, i told her i felt it was an unfair interview told her the reasons, and i wasnt good enough for the job last week then i certaintly aint now!! so still job hunting for me, :rotfl:

That's a bit short sighted of you - but if you don't need the job then I suppose you can afford to give a job away.