-
01
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
-
Just found out why I didn't get the job after 4 interviews. I'm actually shaking with anger right now
"I need to tell someone about this because I'm so furious I can barely type.
Remember a few weeks ago I posted about interviewing for this senior analyst role? Four rounds of interviews, took half a day off work for the final one, whole presentation, the works.
Got the rejection email two weeks ago. Standard "we've decided to pursue other candidates" bulls*it.
Today I'm getting coffee near their office and I run into one of the guys who interviewed me. We chat for a minute and he seems kind of uncomfortable.
He finally goes "Hey, I'm really sorry about how that went. For what it's worth, I voted to hire you."
I'm like "Oh, thanks, I appreciate that."
Then he says something that makes my bl*od boil: "The whole thing was BS anyway. They'd already decided to promote Rachel internally but HR made them interview external candidates to 'validate' the promotion. You were never really being considered."
I just stared at him."
-
02
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
-
Then came the standard rejection email. Disappointing, sure, but nothing unusual, until fate decided to make the situation exponentially worse through the most awkward coffee shop interaction imaginable.
One of the interviewers admitted the truth: the company had already decided to promote someone internally before external interviews even started. The outside candidates were apparently just there so HR could “validate” the promotion process and claim they had explored outside talent.
In other words, this woman wasn’t a candidate. She was paperwork.
And that’s the part that feels so deeply insulting. Companies love talking about respecting applicants’ time right before asking them to complete seven assessments, three personality quizzes, and a recorded video interview where they answer questions alone in their bedroom like they’re being held hostage by LinkedIn. The least they can do is conduct interviews for jobs that actually exist.
Because job interviews don’t just take time, they take energy. People prepare for them after work, during lunch breaks, late at night, while already stressed about bills or career moves or burnout. Some candidates turn down other opportunities because they think one process is going well. To knowingly waste that effort just to satisfy an HR technicality is incredibly cynical.
-
03
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
-
"He keeps going: "Yeah, they needed to show they looked at outside talent before promoting her. You and the other external candidates were basically just there to make the internal promotion look legitimate. Really messed up, sorry you wasted your time."
I did FOUR interviews. Took time off work. Prepared for hours. Turned down other interview opportunities because I thought this was promising.
All so they could check a box for HR and justify promoting someone they'd already decided on before they even posted the job."
-
04
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
-
And unfortunately, judging by the internet’s reaction, this is nowhere near uncommon.
That might be the bleakest part of all. Not that one company did this, but that so many people immediately responded with their own stories about realizing they’d been “fake candidates” too. Nothing says “modern hiring process” quite like discovering you were invited to an interview purely as decorative professionalism.
-
05
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
-
"I was never a real candidate. I was a prop in their internal politics.
The guy could tell I was pi*sed and tried to backtrack like "well you never know, maybe it was close" but it was too late. He already told me the truth.
How is this legal? How is it okay to waste people's time interviewing them when you've already made your decision? Just so you can tell HR you "considered external candidates"?
I want to blast them on Glassdoor but I'm worried it'll hurt me professionally. But I'm so angry I can barely think straight.
Has anyone else been a "fake candidate" like this? Is this a common thing companies do?"
-
06
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
-
I ask if there is an internal candidate they are considering and I watch closely for body language and what they actually say and then make my decision whether to spend my time in the process after having an experience like you did. Saved me lots of time, energy and effort.
-
I’m not surprised, and think this probably normal. Not ethical, just normal.
-
Def go on Glassdoor. I’ve found that Glassdoor never lies about how companies operate. And they have no way of proving it was you if this is a standard practice.
-
This happened to my dad like 3 times before he finally got the promotion he wanted. Paid off though, his income went up by about 20% in the past 4 years
-
At my job, even if we have someone slated for a promotion, we have to interview at least three people. It stinks, I’m sorry. I try to refer candidates I like for other roles. I actually got someone on my team due to this happening.
-
Yes extremely common unfortunately. Sorry this happened to you
-
It’s happened to me multiple times within the past year. It should be illegal.
-
While it’s unfair, it’s not uncommon. For that reason, don’t turn down interview opportunities because one application looks promising. Keep interviewing until you have an offer in writing and you’ve accepted it.
-
I hate that too. I understand it’s some law or maybe an HR rule, but I always thought it was unfair. That happened to someone being interviewed where I worker and I felt so bad for him. I couldn’t say anything or I’d get fired, but he sounded so hopeful. I wanted to warn him it was a waste of time they’d already chosen who they wanted. It is legal. I think the idea is just incase the other candidates are actually better, they get a chance to be hired instead. But if they aren’t or someone wants internal person, internal gets hired. That employee was brave and ethical to tell you that and I hope he doesn’t get written up for it.
-
Copy and paste this has happened to me. Same exact role and everything. My bl*od is reboiling at the thought of it for you. I don’t think it will damage your career to blast them on Glassdoor (I did the same), but I will say that I “lightly” blasted and kept it anon but still professional~ish. I don’t think warning potential prospects about their corrupt leadership is a bad thing *shrugs* lo
I also don’t think you should give them any more of your time or energy. They’ve already taken so much of it! I had so many friends and family telling me that something better would lie ahead and that it was a “sign” that it was not meant to be. I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and didn’t believe them at all! It took awhile, but I’m finally out of the tunnel and really happy in my position.
Take some time for yourself to process this (however you need to tbh), then hop back in the saddle when you are ready. Best wishes to you! 🫶
-
Yes this happens all the time. Really sorry they wasted your time.
-
For what it is worth, I hate it too. We were opening a position for someone specific internal. Higher management was all aligned that it was just gonna be opened up so our internal guy could apply and then closed once he did. Not to give other people hope.
My boss then decided we needed to give everyone a chance, so… yeah. Several others applied of course. Not sure how many they interviewed, I was not involved :/
In the end we hired the internal guy anyway. I hate it that we wasted people’s time.
-
I sat on an interview panel for a vice principal position. Two very hopeful potential vice principals with presentations and resumes interviewed when we all knew it was internal. It made me mad.
-
Happens all the time. Never turn down others interviews no matter how great the another job may look. Always put yourself first, that’s what most employers do. Sorry this happened. I certainly understand your anger. It sounded like this guy actually had a conscience but was unable to stop it from happening. Hang in there
-
Unfortunately it’s one of those policies that’s been twisted to work against us. It used to be that if an internal candidate was going to be moved into a position, the company wouldn’t even advertise it, but I guess someone decided that wasn’t fair to the rest of us, so now companies are obligated to post the position and go through the motions. Problem is that there’s no law to make them actually consider an external candidate for the role. Even if there was, it’d be difficult to prove that you would have been a better choice than Rachel.
Someone else mentioned asking if they were considering internal candidates for the role, and I think that’s a smart idea. I’m definitely going to make that one of my questions in future interviews.
-
It’s common but not to make you go through all rounds. If they have candidate internally ,we would just at minimum do a phone screen, not make you go through the hoops as well as use up others time for no reason
-
Omg I wish I can give u a hug, so heartbreaking. It happened to me and mine was annoying cz I had to fly to the city abd when I got to the airport, I had to pay extra cz they overbooked, bla bla. I got there (a govt job) finished interview , a vigorous interview and they all stepped out and came back with a verbal offer telling me how impressed they were. After some weeks I never heard bk. reached out, “l’m so sorry we are busy that I forgot to update you but we ve decided to move internally, etc then after that I got my rejection. Another one, I went by air to the city and before I got there, we did phone screening and she said my credentials match the requirements, on arrival, she said she forgot to ask me if I had a certain certificate and I said no, she said “sorry we cant continue with the interview, etc. they forgot to include that cert in the profile. I walked to the airport which was 1hr 20 mins out of anger. I was so angry that I could literally fight anybody that very day. But today l thank God I have a way paying job that makes all the bad experiences feel better. Don’t worry, yours will come.
-
Don’t burn any bridges.
Instead, write them a thank you letter for considering you, and that you hope they will contact you should any other opportunities come up at the company.
It sicks, but that’s the game.
-
It‘s often the case that external candidates have to be interviewed for whatever reasons, but 4 rounds and vs presentation is crazy.
Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.