Not given promotion for unfair reasons

Bartoni79

Hi,
I wonder if someone can help. A job has come up through work as my boss is leaving. I’m the most qualified person for it as the boss is leaving and it’s been given to external candidate (who we tried to sack at our company before she moved on 3 years ago). And now want me to report into them which is insulting. The reason they have given for not getting the job is that
1) my boss went off piste and I should have gone up against her and basically executed a mutiny. I implemented many subtle changes which improved the workings of the dept. and alerted snr mgt team above my boss who were acutely aware but they chose to do nothing. Then used it against me as feedback. They were setting her up to fail and I was collateral damage.
2)  I didn’t give anny examples of managing people despite when I asked if they wanted me to elaborate in specific aspects of the new role, they said all fine and said “all great and I’d hit the ground running”

I’m aware that sometimes your face doesn’t fit but they’ve employed someone with no management and a black mark that many people remember when she worked at my company but the new snr mgt team didn’t do due diligence.

I’m writing a response to interview feedback but how do you phrase an email to the effect that
1) “you can’t blame a deputy for the failings of the dept head when the leadership team were fully aware of the challenges and stood by doing nothing” …
2) I was happy to talk through how I’d manage the challenges of the current team but no one raised that in the interview despite me asking if they wanted me to Ella or are in anything…
 but without sounding churlish or emotional.

Many thanks  

MattMattMattUK

Bartoni79 said:

Hi,
I wonder if someone can help. A job has come up through work as my boss is leaving. I’m the most qualified person for it as the boss is leaving and it’s been given to external candidate (who we tried to sack at our company before she moved on 3 years ago). And now want me to report into them which is insulting. The reason they have given for not getting the job is that
1) my boss went off piste and I should have gone up against her and basically executed a mutiny. I implemented many subtle changes which improved the workings of the dept. and alerted snr mgt team above my boss who were acutely aware but they chose to do nothing. Then used it against me as feedback. They were setting her up to fail and I was collateral damage.
2)  I didn’t give anny examples of managing people despite when I asked if they wanted me to elaborate in specific aspects of the new role, they said all fine and said “all great and I’d hit the ground running”

I’m aware that sometimes your face doesn’t fit but they’ve employed someone with no management and a black mark that many people remember when she worked at my company but the new snr mgt team didn’t do due diligence.

I’m writing a response to interview feedback but how do you phrase an email to the effect that
1) “you can’t blame a deputy for the failings of the dept head when the leadership team were fully aware of the challenges and stood by doing nothing” …
2) I was happy to talk through how I’d manage the challenges of the current team but no one raised that in the interview despite me asking if they wanted me to Ella or are in anything…
 but without sounding churlish or emotional.

Many thanks  

You have no right to a promotion, you are not entitled to the job of your departing boss. 

As long as they did not discriminate you for a legally applicable reason (sex, race, disability etc.) then they can give the job to whoever they think is most suited to the do the role and your choices in response are to accept that, or leave.

Mark_d

I think you would benefit from developing your interview technique.  You need to convince the recruiter that you have the skills and desire to excel in the role.  It's a case of you selling yourself, rather than the recruiter having to dig information out of you.  If you need the recruiter to dig, then it suggests you're not passionate about the job.

I suggest you don't respond to the interview feedback.  Rather than pointing out where other people did wrong, ask yourself what you could have done better to mitigate the damage  being done by the dept head (or whoever).

The employer wants a positive person who will make a positive difference.  Someone who will come up with solutions and not just find faults.

Maybe your future is not at this company but you need to get yourself into a good place before you have a realistic chance of moving to a better job at a better company.

oldernonethewiser

Bartoni79 said:

Hi,
I wonder if someone can help. A job has come up through work as my boss is leaving. I’m the most qualified person for it as the boss is leaving and it’s been given to external candidate (who we tried to sack at our company before she moved on 3 years ago). And now want me to report into them which is insulting. The reason they have given for not getting the job is that
1) my boss went off piste and I should have gone up against her and basically executed a mutiny. I implemented many subtle changes which improved the workings of the dept. and alerted snr mgt team above my boss who were acutely aware but they chose to do nothing. Then used it against me as feedback. They were setting her up to fail and I was collateral damage.

Can you better explain this please? 

2)  I didn’t give anny examples of managing people despite when I asked if they wanted me to elaborate in specific aspects of the new role, they said all fine and said “all great and I’d hit the ground running”

If they expected examples of managing and you had no experience then fair enough.

I’m aware that sometimes your face doesn’t fit but they’ve employed someone with no management and a black mark that many people remember when she worked at my company but the new snr mgt team didn’t do due diligence.

Black mark? In what way and how do you know this?

I’m writing a response to interview feedback but how do you phrase an email to the effect that
1) “you can’t blame a deputy for the failings of the dept head when the leadership team were fully aware of the challenges and stood by doing nothing” …Blaming management above you is unlikley to endear you to them.
2) I was happy to talk through how I’d manage the challenges of the current team but no one raised that in the interview despite me asking if they wanted me to Ella or are in anything… You can only answer the questions asked of you and elaborate if offered the chance, which it appears you weren't
 but without sounding churlish or emotional.

Many thanks  

You could ask for more specific feedback to see if that helps.

Undervalued

Bartoni79 said:

Hi,
I wonder if someone can help. A job has come up through work as my boss is leaving. I’m the most qualified person for it as the boss is leaving and it’s been given to external candidate (who we tried to sack at our company before she moved on 3 years ago). And now want me to report into them which is insulting. The reason they have given for not getting the job is that
1) my boss went off piste and I should have gone up against her and basically executed a mutiny. I implemented many subtle changes which improved the workings of the dept. and alerted snr mgt team above my boss who were acutely aware but they chose to do nothing. Then used it against me as feedback. They were setting her up to fail and I was collateral damage.
2)  I didn’t give anny examples of managing people despite when I asked if they wanted me to elaborate in specific aspects of the new role, they said all fine and said “all great and I’d hit the ground running”

I’m aware that sometimes your face doesn’t fit but they’ve employed someone with no management and a black mark that many people remember when she worked at my company but the new snr mgt team didn’t do due diligence.

I’m writing a response to interview feedback but how do you phrase an email to the effect that
1) “you can’t blame a deputy for the failings of the dept head when the leadership team were fully aware of the challenges and stood by doing nothing” …
2) I was happy to talk through how I’d manage the challenges of the current team but no one raised that in the interview despite me asking if they wanted me to Ella or are in anything…
 but without sounding churlish or emotional.

Many thanks  

"Unfair"???

That is your opinion. You may or may not be right but it is completely irrelevant unless they have acted unlawfully. Nothing in your post suggests that they have.

As to your "I’m writing a response to interview feedback...." I really wouldn't!

saajan_12

Don't respond to contradict interview feedback.. what will it achieve? 
Re providing examples of managing people, thats up to you to work in if you thought it was something they were looking for and you hadn't disucssed in sufficient detail. Instead of asking "can I elaborate on anything?" maybe say "a big thing i'm excited about is xyz as I had to do in abc situation in the past". 

Re the other candidate's management experience, you don't know her day to day role over the last few years. Perhaps she gave examples of using the related leadership skills, eg in training a colleague, leading a project, etc which you didn't. 

ButterCheese

The exact same thing has happened in our organisation.  2 people were interviewed internally, both had basically been doing the job for 10 years and knew it indide out.  but they dod not get the job.  We now have an external person as our boss who kows nothing and we ahve to train them up whilst they're sitting on 20 grand a year more than us.  It's unfair, but it is totally legal.  It's one of those things in life that you just have to suck up.

Remember that you also have the opportunity to look elsewhere for a promotion if you think you have the skills and experience.  Sometimes the grass isn't always greener and (like me) I'm happy to sit on a lower wage with less stress, doing a job I already know, and not having to worry about interviews and learning a new job from scratch.

Cressida100

Definitely do not respond to the feedback and try not to bear a grudge against your new manager. If you are very unhappy perhaps it's a good time to look elsewhere. You've received lots of advice on interview techniques.

TELLIT01

The OP may or may not be correct in asserting they were the 'most qualified' internal applicant for the job.  That does not mean that the company had to give them the job.  The company may have believed that it was better to get an external person in, particularly if there has been internal friction which could be made worse by promoting an existing staff member.

To be honest it always concerns me when somebody claims they were the 'best/most qualified' for a job.  It's highly likely that their opinion of themselves is not matched by the employer.

Marcon

Bartoni79 said:

Hi,
I wonder if someone can help. A job has come up through work as my boss is leaving. I’m the most qualified person for 

You may believe you are the most qualified (and that may be true), but in the eyes of those doing the recruiting you aren't the most suitable. Unless the basis for their decision is some sort of unlawful discrimination, it can be as unfair as hell but still lawful.

Bartoni79 said:

I’m aware that sometimes your face doesn’t fit but they’ve employed someone with no management and a black mark that many people remember when she worked at my company but the new snr mgt team didn’t do due diligence.

How do you know that? Maybe they did, but still decided to take the chance based on what they saw before them now, as opposed to making a judgement based on events of some years ago.

I'm with those suggesting that you don't respond to the feedback, for the simple reason nothing good will come of it. You might momentarily feel better as you hit the 'send' button, but the feeling won't last...and your comments are almost certain to come back to haunt you.

penners324

Wouldn't bother with the feedback.

Update your CV and look for another job