"Role was filled internally"

[Wanderer]

In the last few weeks I've had 3 applications where I was well matched that have ended up in the role being filled internally. I know for permie positions it is quite normal or even a requirement to search externally for a candidate even if the search is just part of the process and wont affect the outcome. For contracts however this seems bizarre! Is this the new excuse for the brush-off? Anyone else getting this?

tulip happens. There is no conspiracy. Get over it and move on to the next interview.

[yasockie]

This is most likely legitimate. I am expected to take the extension, but the client in a rare outburst of a common sense is advertising the roles just in case some of the contractors don't accept the extension. (they were very surprised when they lost 2 contractors mid-year, I guess it got them thinking)

[lukemg]

Come on people, this is page 1 - just fire and forget, feedback is pointless, reasons are usually made up. Why ? Because yapping to you is a waste of time for an agent and occasionally an upset contractor will be firing questions back, getting upset, asking for another chance, blah blah blah. They dont need the grief so you get a stock answer that you cant dispute.
Having said that....2nd contract I went for, got a knockback and I knew I had been a bit full on at the interview, (used to get nervous in them days). Told the agent to get me back in there, he did, I stayed 6 years and it well set me up ! I don't even bother now, I presume its not happening unless I get a call.

[VectraMan]

I know for permie positions it is quite normal or even a requirement to search externally for a candidate even if the search is just part of the process and wont affect the outcome.

I'd bet this a case of an HR numptie not understanding the difference between a permanent and contract role and going through the same process. Wouldn't be the first time.

I've never been in a position to do it, but I imagine having to apply and interview for a job with your current employer must be soul destroying.

[Worzel]

Quite possibly the internal candidate was known about all along and the contractor is the backup incase the plan-A internal candidate falls through for whatever reason.

This sounds the most likely reason to me.

I also get the feeling there's a lot of "window shopping" going on, clients seeing what quality of contractor is available. I suppose this reason might also be used if the client was thinking about replacing a contractor at extension time and then decides against it. In fact the more I think about it there's plenty of possible reasons why they could say this. Anyway, I moved on to the next decent application and exactly the same thing happened with that one too - hence the question here!

[Spacecadet]

Can't believe the type of organisations involved would all of a sudden find a suitably skilled internal permie that they hadn't already considered beforehand.

Quite possibly the internal candidate was known about all along and the contractor is the backup incase the plan-A internal candidate falls through for whatever reason.

Last year I had a couple interviews get cancelled at the last minute due to the role being filled before I'd even been interviewed which is quite annoying, especially when I've forked out £200+ on first class train tickets!

[northernladuk]

If a contractor finds out it wasn't an internal permie that got the role, is this grounds for an unfair "rejection".

Totally agree and also following from the comment above the contractor can do absolutely nothing about it anyway so just move on.

[BlasterBates]

Why should anyone make this up?

So another conractor got the role or an internal permie. So what. I don't quite see why an agent has to make some sort of excuse up. Does a contractor feel insulted because a company considered more than one CV?

If a contractor finds out it wasn't an internal permie that got the role, is this grounds for an unfair "rejection".

[Pondlife]

I should think it's a case of bad resource planning and/or other projects getting canned and therefore freeing people up.

Just move on to the next application.

[Worzel]

Maybe this is now being used as the gentle let-down of choice in some situations. Can't believe the type of organisations involved would all of a sudden find a suitably skilled internal permie that they hadn't already considered beforehand.

I've been contracting for over 15 years so I know most of the games and obviously had to deal with my fair share of rejections along the way! Just wondered if this was a common excuse right now as like I say it's happened a few times recently.

[jmo21]

Not everyone can though, one agent I've been working with for years was telling me a tale about one candidate who burst into tears when he told him he'd been rejected. He then spent the next five minutes listening to him going on about "can you tell them I'd work for £100 less a day?", "what about feedback, they have to give me proper feedback don't they?", "I need this job, can you get me another meeting with them?"

Ouch!!

When I first started contracting it really annoyed me when I wouldn't hear back about an application.

I read on here people's opinion that agent's won't bother getting back in touch if the client rejects your CV as you are no longer worth anything to them, or if they are really keeping you on the back burner (or out of other agencies hands) while their other candidates are put forward for the role.

Now though, I accept all that, it is still annoying, but part of the game, and I just get on with the next application and trying to figure out how to get past these people.

[craig1]

either your unlucky or this is the latest agent BS. Used to be 'we are waiting to hear back - don't call us, we will call you'

Wish agents would just be straight and say 'you were not what they wanted' etc - I can handle the rejection!!

Not everyone can though, one agent I've been working with for years was telling me a tale about one candidate who burst into tears when he told him he'd been rejected. He then spent the next five minutes listening to him going on about "can you tell them I'd work for £100 less a day?", "what about feedback, they have to give me proper feedback don't they?", "I need this job, can you get me another meeting with them?"

[northernladuk]

I am surprised at questions like this and the fact people are so blinkered/naive they can't see the whole/bigger picture and just focus on themselves or them as a contractor. Surely as a self employed contractor and as an owner of a business you have to understand your customer, the market place and why you are taken on or not in this case.

Yes, this could be a brush off but in a large majority of cases it isn't.

A contractor is required for a host of different reasons, quick start, specialist experience, short term role etc. You are required as an addition to the permie force to add flexibility. You are also very expensive and take a lot of resource to employ and tend to have a pretty poor reputation from other contractor experience.

Times are tight and if a permie role comes to end, particularly in project areas they will have to look for more work or be a dead weight to the organisation. One area starts shedding heads due to costs/end project, another area is actively looking for contractors. What do you expect them to do? Take you on or put the permie in the role 'i.e. fill the role internally?'

Pretty basic stuff really.

[SneakySimon]

Unlucky?

either your unlucky or this is the latest agent BS. Used to be 'we are waiting to hear back - don't call us, we will call you'

Wish agents would just be straight and say 'you were not what they wanted' etc - I can handle the rejection!!

[Worzel]

In the last few weeks I've had 3 applications where I was well matched that have ended up in the role being filled internally. I know for permie positions it is quite normal or even a requirement to search externally for a candidate even if the search is just part of the process and wont affect the outcome. For contracts however this seems bizarre! Is this the new excuse for the brush-off? Anyone else getting this?

Returning to contract work from a stalled "plan B" effort and the market seems just as nuts as normal!