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1 reject and 1 offer!

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unclebob

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Can anyone explain this to me?

I applied for 2 signaller jobs and attended interviews for both, a couple of weeks ago. I was asked the usual 8 core competency questions, which I answered exactly the same in both interviews.

I thought interview 1 actually went better than interview 2, as I thought there were too many "erms and ahs" in my answers.

Anyway, imagine my surprise when I was offered the job for interview 2 and not for interview 1! Again, I gave exactly the same answers for both interviews!

Of course I am grateful for the job offer, but the issue is that job 1 is in a much more convenient location to me that job 2.

So I need to understand, if the hiring managers use exactly the same criteria for assessing the interviews, how could this happen?

Now I know that many people will state the obvious- that someone gave better answers than me. To that, I would have to say that would not have happened- I know my answers were excellent and very well thought out (I am doubly sure of this now as I have been offered job 2). I think we can all agree we know after an interview, whether it went well or not. In this case, I was absolutely convinced I had got job 1!

Any thoughts on this? Could it just have been that my face did not fit? I did note that my line manager/ interviewer, looked old enough to be my son! Could that have been a factor?

I feel quite annoyed, yet happy- a really weird feeling! :-?
 
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bb21

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Different interviewers may well have scored you differently, and you may have come across a stronger set of competitors for one job compared to those for the other.

All sorts of possibilities.
 

unclebob

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Different interviewers may well have scored you differently, and you may have come across a stronger set of competitors for one job compared to those for the other.

All sorts of possibilities.

I know I sound like a right nob- but I know I gave a near perfect interview. There were multiple vacancies and I cannot believe they found multiple people who were all better than me!
 

Greenyeti

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Now I know that many people will state the obvious- that someone gave better answers than me. To that, I would have to say that would not have happened- I know my answers were excellent and very well thought

Perhaps you came across a little arrogant?
 

GingerRH

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Congratulations on the offer! Which boxes did you apply for? Also which one did you get offered and was it the same grade?
 

ComUtoR

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You were the only candidate for interview 2

The person who initially got the job for interview 2 rejected it. You actually came in second place.

Interview 2 is for a lesser role. Interview 1 was out of your reach.

Interview 1 wanted 'Quality' Interview 2 was at a lower standard.
 

unclebob

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Perhaps you came across a little arrogant?

Nope not me. I am not an arrogent person. I have been to 7 signaller interviews. The 5 others that I failed, were no suprise to me, as I knew what I failed on.

But as I said, we all know when we have passed or failed. A bit like an exam- most people have a pretty good idea whether they have spent the time studying to pass it. This is how I felt.
 

unclebob

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Congratulations on the offer! Which boxes did you apply for? Also which one did you get offered and was it the same grade?

Thanks very much. To be honest, I am going to keep quite about that, as no doubt there are senior managers on here and I don't want to rock the point even before I started!
 

unclebob

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You were the only candidate for interview 2

The person who initially got the job for interview 2 rejected it. You actually came in second place.

Interview 2 is for a lesser role. Interview 1 was out of your reach.

Interview 1 wanted 'Quality' Interview 2 was at a lower standard.

Lets just say I wasnt the only one for interview 2.

Your second point is possible, but I know it is about 95% unlikely.

Points 3 and 4- possibly. But correct me if I am wrong (please don't reply unless you are actually a hiring manager or have been one) but my understanding is that despite the level of signaller role, all interviews are graded the same way, as signaller school is the foundational course for everyone.
 

bb21

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I know I sound like a right nob- but I know I gave a near perfect interview. There were multiple vacancies and I cannot believe they found multiple people who were all better than me!

We all think like that sometimes. :lol:

If you look at the standard form Network Rail uses for interviews, you'll see some scores for "soft" qualities which you cannot always control through your answers. You may have simply lost out by a single mark overall to someone else for the first job.

Seriously don't over-think this. Congratulations on your new job. Interview is an art, not an exact science, and you need more than just ability sometimes.
 

unclebob

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We all think like that sometimes. :lol:

If you look at the standard form Network Rail uses for interviews, you'll see some scores for "soft" qualities which you cannot always control through your answers. You may have simply lost out by a single mark overall to someone else for the first job.

Seriously don't over-think this. Congratulations on your new job. Interview is an art, not an exact science, and you need more than just ability sometimes.

thanks buddy. "you need more than just ability sometimes" I like that quote!

Just imagine what an amazing company NR would be if they hired entirely on the ability :) We would be envy of the French, Germans and Japanese!
 

ComUtoR

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But correct me if I am wrong (please don't reply unless you are actually a hiring manager or have been one) but my understanding is that despite the level of signaller role, all interviews are graded the same way, as signaller school is the foundational course for everyone.

Not a hiring manager for the Signalling Grade but I have been responsible in the past for recruitment and specifically using criteria based interviews.

Suffice to say that after weeks of interviews and realising that some nobody will get the job and that the criteria can be interpreted to strictly by some. I lowered the bar. It is also a case where (when i was hiring for the same role, but at a smaller location) I had to see if they would be a fit at their chosen location and whilst you could be at a smaller location doing the same job, the pressures in the larger role meant that the standard needed to be higher.

Even criteria based interviews are still subjectively graded. That subjectivity can change between interviewers by quite a margin. bb1 is correct in that it can easily be scored differently.

In my previous life. Interviews and recruitment was part and parcel of my role.
 

GingerRH

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thanks buddy. "you need more than just ability sometimes" I like that quote!

Just imagine what an amazing company NR would be if they hired entirely on the ability :) We would be envy of the French, Germans and Japanese!

You may be the best signaller in the world or believe you have the ability to be the best, however if you don't get on with or have a personality clash with the rest of the team on your panel, things won't end well.

Unfortunately recruiting for a role has so many factors the ability to do a job just isn't enough!
 

MichaelAMW

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I know I sound like a right nob- but I know I gave a near perfect interview. There were multiple vacancies and I cannot believe they found multiple people who were all better than me!

Near perfect isn't perfect, of course. Since you don't know what your opposition was like it's illogical to be quite so forthright in your analysis. Based on what you've said, I would say that you made the grade, so to speak, but you were only the best candidate for one role but not for the other. For the latter, someone else's near perfect was nearer perfect.
 

unclebob

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You may be the best signaller in the world or believe you have the ability to be the best, however if you don't get on with or have a personality clash with the rest of the team on your panel, things won't end well.

Unfortunately recruiting for a role has so many factors the ability to do a job just isn't enough!

nah, I do not believe that by any stretch of the imagination. However, I do know I gave an excellent interview. Whether I am successful at signalling school and then translate the theory into practice is anyone's guess!

Agreed re your point about being a team player. Again, time will tell!
 

unclebob

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Near perfect isn't perfect, of course. Since you don't know what your opposition was like it's illogical to be quite so forthright in your analysis. Based on what you've said, I would say that you made the grade, so to speak, but you were only the best candidate for one role but not for the other. For the latter, someone else's near perfect was nearer perfect.

yeah maybe you are right...... :)
 

nom de guerre

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Have you asked for feedback on Interview 1?

It's obviously bugging you, so why not find out? HR should be able to oblige.
 

fabs

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Job I've got now (new to the industry from forces) I went for twice. First time I was very pleased with the interview, knew I was one of 3 candidates; to be honest I thought I aced it. Didn't get it.
Fast forward a few months and I saw same role advertised so contacted the hiring manager direct (had his email from feedback received). 2 interviews this time, both of which I felt I let myself down and performed sub par, even said so at the end. But got the job that time.
Have you asked for feedback from the hiring manager? Not that it matters.

I now carry out hiring interviews and I have a laid down set of questions to ensure everyone gets the same opportunity; but a large part of what I'm looking for is whether they will 'be a good fit' in the team.
 
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