Should my personal experience affect someone getting a job?

Jestified

Eight years ago, with a previous employer, I experienced a weird situation at work. I changed job in the same company, within the same salary band, and asked for a pay increase at the same time. This was early in my career, first employer out of university, and I was still at the low end of the salary band. HR agreed to a pay increase, but was very small. My new line manager was a strange guy and not hugely popular in the team, due to his general negativity. Professionally we got on okay. At the same time as me joining the team, another new starter joined from another company. She had a different role to me, and a different line manager, but her skills were closely aligned to my line manager’s and they struck up a close bond. He became a mentor for her.

Within the first month of joining, there was a team-building session. We were at the pub that evening, had a few drinks, and the woman mentioned above caught me off guard and said to me that my line manager had told her that I was earning more money than her. Taken aback that either my line manager had breached trust or this woman was lying to stir things up a bit, I wasn’t sure what to say. I thought it was incredibly ballsy of her to say anything to me given she was new to the company whereas I’d been there for three years. It was totally unbelievable because I knew I was generally lower skilled and still at the low end of the salary band whereas she was a couple of years older than me and qualified in her field. In a slightly intoxicated state, I told her what my salary was, which surprised her and she admitted that the information was wrong and that she did earn more than me, without telling me what she was earning. She and my line manager were very cliquey which made it impossible for me to ever say anything to my line manager about it. To this day, I don’t know if she made it up or if he had said something incorrect yet inappropriate to her, but I wouldn’t have put it past either of them. Either he did breach my trust, or she breached her own trust with him by using his name. In any case, I’ve always wondered why she approached me about it at all. I was a lot younger and would approach such an incident differently today.

Fast forward a few years, my line manager left within nine months of me joining, and she and I coincidentally left the company at a similar time for pastures new and better opportunities a year or so later. I never stayed in touch with him and I never said anything to her, although she lived up to her reputation (in my eyes anyway) as a bit of a gossip and stirrer. I never trusted her. I’ve noticed from social media she is still close to my former line manager, and she has kept in close touch with some of our former colleagues, some of whom I am also in touch with.

The reason I bring all this up today is because I have progressed well in a consultancy, holding a good position, and the woman mentioned above has recently interviewed here. She knows I work here, albeit we still fall into different skillsets. After interview, she is one of two candidates they are considering making a offer. There is not much difference between the two although the hiring manager thinks she is marginally the stronger candidate. I have a good relationship with my colleagues here, they value my opinions and have asked me what I think of her and if they should consider her. My gut feeling is no, they should go with the other person. She wouldn’t be working with me, not initially anyway. Professionally, we got on well and she was good at her job, but my experience with her makes me question her integrity and I think she’s best avoided. Yes, I should let it go after eight years, but is this reasonable grounds for me to scupper her candidacy for the role?

IAmWales

She should be judged on her ability not some random conversation eight years ago. If asked then state she was good at her job.

It would take an extremely vindictive person to mess up her chances for this role. Sort out your own issues rather than taking them out on other people.

Scorpio33

They have asked for your opinion, so tell them your opinion as you see it. They obviously value your opinion, so there is nothing for you to gain by not being totally honest.

I would say what you feel, but caveat it with something like, "But it was 8 years ago, and she may have changed since then".

You are not doing the hiring, this other team is, so it is their decision to make. They may have had an inkling that she is a bit of a gossip and a stirrer, and you stating that would confirm their fears. But better that than the company employing her, only to find out what she is like and then wonder why you didn't say anything.

Scorpio33

IAmWales wrote: »

She should be judged on her ability not some random conversation eight years ago. If asked then state she was good at her job.

It would take an extremely vindictive person to mess up her chances for this role. Sort out your own issues rather than taking them out on other people.

But the people hiring are trying to understand her ability. That includes getting on with colleagues. It may have been 8 years ago, but has she changed?

Even if it was purely the OP's mis-perception, it is better that they know what his honest thoughts are.

dktreesea

They're asking you because they also have concerns, but can't pinpoint them enough to turn her down for the role. You should tell them what your experience of her was. Remember, she's a networker, so who is to say she won't be trying to bring your former line manager on board at some point. And, if you don't speak up and they hire her, then she gets to give her revisionist form of history about you. How do you know she wouldn't be spreading a story somewhere along the lines of:


"Oh yes, I worked with her 8 years ago. She was really strange. Always trying to find out my salary and she didn't get along with her line manager at all. I'd be careful of her if I were you...."


Remember, she's a gossip. Whereas once she was in front of you career wise, now she's behind you. Who is to say she won't be questioning your credentials for the job you have?


You should warn the other team off. I agree with Scorpio33. If they employ her and find out you didn't say anything, it will hurt your credibility.

IAmWales

Scorpio33 wrote: »

But the people hiring are trying to understand her ability. That includes getting on with colleagues. It may have been 8 years ago, but has she changed?

Even if it was purely the OP's mis-perception, it is better that they know what his honest thoughts are.

Professionally they got on well and she was good at her job. What more is there to say?

OP is the one with the issue here. Why is he stalking her on Facebook for one thing? Very odd behaviour, especially from someone accusing another of being a gossip.

Alternatively he can continue to bear some bizarre grudge for the rest of his career.

They're asking you because they also have concerns, but can't pinpoint them enough to turn her down for the role

They're asking because they used to work at the same company. OP makes no suggestion that they have any concerns about the prospective employee, in fact they state she is the stronger candidate.

Jestified

IAmWales wrote: »

Why is he stalking her on Facebook for one thing? Very odd behaviour, especially from someone accusing another of being a gossip.

I'm not stalking anyone. I said we are both in touch with some of our old colleagues. She appears in photos of some of them on social media who I am still in touch with. Nothing odd about this.

To everyone else - thanks so far for the responses.

Scorpio33

IAmWales wrote: »

Professionally they got on well and she was good at her job. What more is there to say?

OP is the one with the issue here. Why is he stalking her on Facebook for one thing? Very odd behaviour, especially from someone accusing another of being a gossip.

Alternatively he can continue to bear some bizarre grudge for the rest of his career.



They're asking because they used to work at the same company. OP makes no suggestion that they have any concerns about the prospective employee, in fact they state she is the stronger candidate.

I think the issue you have is that you assume that just because someone is good at their job then that is all that matters, which is not true.

When hiring, the person needs to fit in the team, needs to be a team player and so will help the team and organisation as a whole. The organisation hired the OP, are aware of his personality and trust his judgement, which is why they are asking him. In an interview they are trying to understand her personality, which is very difficult to do in such a short period of time. So they ask the OP, who needs to let them know what his concerns are.

If it is just a grudge, the hiring persons would see that and would take the view points on with that in mind. They know the OP, he has worked there 3+ years, so they know how he gets on with others.

gettingtheresometime

I think Scorpio has the right answer - yes people can change in 8 years but many don't.

bugslet

You say the hiring manager thinks she is the stronger of the two people you are considering - is that better qualifications/ more experience or it's a gut feeling for him?

If there isn't that much between the two, then I'd tactfully say that you were not entirely happy with her when you worked together 8 years ago and in your opinion, you would prefer the other candidate.

AIUI, it wasn't the one incident, she was generally a bit of a gossip and stirrer, so you aren't basing your opinion on just one incident.

Jestified

bugslet wrote: »

You say the hiring manager thinks she is the stronger of the two people you are considering - is that better qualifications/ more experience or it's a gut feeling for him?

They have generally the same level of experiences and same qualifications. She has worked on an identical project that we need to fill a position for, but it’s not essential that the successful candidate has worked on such a job. I suspect that she is probably cheaper because the other candidate is a bit older.

bugslet wrote: »

AIUI, it wasn't the one incident, she was generally a bit of a gossip and stirrer, so you aren't basing your opinion on just one incident.

This is correct. The initial incident is how she and I started off. Thereafter, she would often cross the line between friendly banter and being a little inappropriate. For example, she would subtly ask me what my opinion is of someone, and then later she would say that so-and-so had said something about someone else, or “Did you know that she did that the other day, and he said this to her?” Textbook gossip. She even told me once that my line manager had had an affair years ago. It was a bit too much to be friendly banter and I never warmed to her. None of it was obvious, and other stakeholders wouldn’t even be aware of it, but I witnessed her whispering in people’s ears for a couple of years. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t work with her again, and where I work now runs a well-oiled operation where the relationship with clients is important, especially as we can be client office based for long periods.

My general reason for reaching out here is, is it my right to mention any of this to the hiring manager? Aside from all of this, she is quite charming, especially on the face of it anyway, and she has clearly maintained friendships with people we worked with. But she put my back up from the outset and left me feeling insecure and it affected my relationship with my line manager back then. I’m trying to ascertain if it would be unreasonable of me to say anything and it be construed as being out of turn. Ultimately I see my future at this company and I have ambitions of making a success here and work my way up through the ranks, hopefully. It’s a question of ethics and etiquette.

I’m thinking of telling them about these behaviours. But, do I say not to employ her, or do I leave them with this to do as they see fit?