Interview at a former employer

thomasparker430

Basically I left a position at a company about 5 years, I now got an interview with the same company. My old line manager is doing the interview as I had an invite. Should I email the organiser stating that I know one of the panel?

TELLIT01

First thing to check is that the company will actually re-employ former employees, particularly if the job is advertised through an agency.  My niece worked for Royal Mail and resigned because she was moving out of the area.  A couple of years later RM were recruiting via agency, she was offered an interview and then the offer was withdrawn because RM either won't re-employ former staff or won't re-employ for x years.

AskAsk

TELLIT01 said:

First thing to check is that the company will actually re-employ former employees, particularly if the job is advertised through an agency.  My niece worked for Royal Mail and resigned because she was moving out of the area.  A couple of years later RM were recruiting via agency, she was offered an interview and then the offer was withdrawn because RM either won't re-employ former staff or won't re-employ for x years.

that is strange.  i have never heard of a company that won't employ previous staff, unless they sacked you.

AskAsk

thomasparker430 said:

Basically I left a position at a company about 5 years, I now got an interview with the same company. My old line manager is doing the interview as I had an invite. Should I email the organiser stating that I know one of the panel?

i wouldn't worry about it.  you may have an advantage as an ex-employee as you can reminisce about old times    
i had an interview with an ex-employer and did not know who would be interviewing me.  one of the guy was an old colleague so he gave me an update on what everyone on the team had been up to in their personal lives while i was away 

[Deleted User]

Did you declare the job of 5 years ago? personally I wouldn't email to advise such a thing if I left on good terms and had already declared the previous job as part of the application. You would think if it was a problem they just wouldn't have offered an interview. What would happen if you didn't know the interviewers names in advance as has been alluded by another poster. I only say this because my last interview (whilst not a return to a previous company) I thought was only one known person interviewing, but turned out two people and the other someone very close to the company owner. 
If it was bad times/didn't leave in the best light when last employed by the company and that is why you are concerned. I once got the opportunity to apologise for a quick exit (and there was an argument over final pay in the air) after a company changed their minds regarding policy to not recruit ex employees. (was just an agency temp'ing job who withdrew the interview in Dec 19, then Jan 2020 re approached saying I had caused a stir and half the team believed in the benefit of doubt and were nagging who ever when they hadn't seen a candidate to take on) it took everything I had to go into that room on the day, but I felt better for it.  

theoretica

thomasparker430 said:

Basically I left a position at a company about 5 years, I now got an interview with the same company. My old line manager is doing the interview as I had an invite. Should I email the organiser stating that I know one of the panel?

I wouldn't - I would expect the interviewer who knows you to be the one to let whoever needs to know know.

[Deleted User]

AskAsk said:

that is strange.  i have never heard of a company that won't employ previous staff, unless they sacked you.

I also had an additional thought; some companies maybe don't like the idea if you are trying back for a same role that you held. OP might be ok too if this is a progression role.

YBR

My company has brought back several ex-employees recently, those who moved on, were made redundant, who retired early and contractors, and it's never any sort of problem unless there was some kind of cloud when they left (I can only think of one). The industry is small so it would be impossible otherwise. The only discomfort is when we have to follow procedure and interview these people when we already have a very good idea of their knowledge and abilities.
If interviewing internally for a promotion you'll be interviewed by friends/colleagues so not much different. 

LittleVoice

AskAsk said:

TELLIT01 said:

First thing to check is that the company will actually re-employ former employees, particularly if the job is advertised through an agency.  My niece worked for Royal Mail and resigned because she was moving out of the area.  A couple of years later RM were recruiting via agency, she was offered an interview and then the offer was withdrawn because RM either won't re-employ former staff or won't re-employ for x years.

that is strange.  i have never heard of a company that won't employ previous staff, unless they sacked you.

I once worked for a multi-national  who would not re-employ if the person resigned simply in order to move to another job.  That was on the basis that you had shown you were not satisfied with them as an employer in the past. 

There were some exceptions to the general rule.  For example if you left because you married and moved to another part of the country or left to become a full-time parent, they would consider your application.

When they responded to reference requests, if they were asked whether they would re-employ they would respond negatively but explain that that was their policy.  I suspect they would now simply ignore the question.

TELLIT01

AskAsk said:

TELLIT01 said:

First thing to check is that the company will actually re-employ former employees, particularly if the job is advertised through an agency.  My niece worked for Royal Mail and resigned because she was moving out of the area.  A couple of years later RM were recruiting via agency, she was offered an interview and then the offer was withdrawn because RM either won't re-employ former staff or won't re-employ for x years.

that is strange.  i have never heard of a company that won't employ previous staff, unless they sacked you.

Absolutely not sacked.  She always had very good reviews for her work, attendance, time keeping etc.  She left purely because she moved away from the area.

thomasparker430

Thanks for your help. I left on good terms, it’s a civil service position. I was there as a band three and the interview is for a band four