Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit • Hacker News Board

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#101

Post by bdowling » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 5:50 PM UTC

lvspiff wrote: post #76

After reading the article one thing that struck me was the " internal candidates who were rejected after interviewing with the hiring manager were half as likely to exit as those rejected earlier in the process." Working at a fortune 100 top 10 company I've applied for multiple higher level positions after 5 years and multiple high marks on my reviews and not gotten 1 recruiter call. I did get with one recruiter and…

> one of the positions was actually only posted for someone internally

This is extremely common. A company can't allow for nepotism or favoritism, so it requires a public posting for any open position. Qualified external applicants see the posting and apply. The managers hire the internal candidate they wanted to hire anyway. It's all a huge waste of everyone's time. I'd bet that a large percentage of job postings are insincere in this way.

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#102

Post by castlecrasher2 » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 5:51 PM UTC

lvspiff wrote: post #76

After reading the article one thing that struck me was the " internal candidates who were rejected after interviewing with the hiring manager were half as likely to exit as those rejected earlier in the process." Working at a fortune 100 top 10 company I've applied for multiple higher level positions after 5 years and multiple high marks on my reviews and not gotten 1 recruiter call. I did get with one recruiter and…

On the flip side, companies tend to hire management for outside perspective; especially in my field, data engineering, companies build up but get to a point where no one internal knows how to proceed properly and so are better off hiring externally.

I agree that doing so can be a mistake, but at times it's necessary, and likely less of a risk than promoting internally.

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#103

Post by xhkkffbf » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 5:52 PM UTC

yaacov wrote: post #79

lvspiff wrote: post #76

After reading the article one thing that struck me was the " internal candidates who were rejected after interviewing with the hiring manager were half as likely to exit as those rejected earlier in the process." Working at a fortune 100 top 10 company I've applied for multiple higher level positions after 5 years and multiple high marks on my reviews and not gotten 1 recruiter call. I did get with one recruiter and…

If you can’t get promoted internally, try getting promoted externally :)

Believe it or not, it can be easier. Often you're seen as a certain type or level in your current job. They can't imagine you doing a different one. Plus, if they promote you, they just have to fill a lower position. A new company doesn't have any of these biases.

A friend in night school said he fully expected to have to move to a new company to get promoted. His current boss didn't see him as someone with a masters-level intellect.

Of course it's not always this way. Etc. Etc.

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#104

Post by vlunkr » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 5:54 PM UTC

nekoashide wrote: post #44

I have always given the advice to everyone I meet "Move up or move on". You should not work at a company more than a few years before you are either promoted or become highly compensated for your position. Far too many of my peers have become stagnant working at a company for 6+ years without moving up. They make less and miss out on the opportunity to make more money and expand their skills elsewhere. If you apply f…

Maybe your peers are content, not stagnant? Constantly moving up or moving on sounds highly stressful. If you like your job and can live comfortably with your salary, why not stay there? I can only see that it would be an issue if you're stuck working with some ancient technology and don't have other marketable skills.

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#105

Post by nickff » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 5:55 PM UTC

Xavdidtheshadow wrote: post #86

lvspiff wrote: post #76

After reading the article one thing that struck me was the " internal candidates who were rejected after interviewing with the hiring manager were half as likely to exit as those rejected earlier in the process." Working at a fortune 100 top 10 company I've applied for multiple higher level positions after 5 years and multiple high marks on my reviews and not gotten 1 recruiter call. I did get with one recruiter and…

> Working at a fortune 100 top 10 company Isn't that the Fortune 10?

Apparently not; the Fortune 100 is a sort of curated list, and there is no shorter list. The 10 at the top are referred to as the "Fortune 100 Top 10". https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fortune-100.asp

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#106

Post by aejnsn » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 6:03 PM UTC

ourguile wrote: post #10

This just happened with me, applied for a few internal positions I was told I was qualified for, then later found out they had changed their minds. No other opportunity for growth internally otherwise, so my only option is to look outside of the company.

It happened to me too a few years back. A posting cropped up with the company hiring for two positions right above mine to fill out direction needs, I was a technical lead already. I wanted the position, because I was already filling the role they were hiring for.

I was shut down right when I inquired, and told that the company wanted some outside talent. Wow okay, even though my performance reviews were dazzling. So they hired two guys who had zero familiarity with the industry and zero familiarity with our stack. One had to be fired because he was insane and did nothing all day but try to be some motivational speaker in a technical role. I liked the other guy, but it was another person I had to explain stuff to when he had preconceived notions that were incorrect. He was cool, but HR/execs really screwed up the positioning.

There was a later time when they were going to have a leadership vacuum. I decided it best to quit at that time because they were going to ask me to help by advancing _only_ when they needed me as a backup. However, when I asked them to advance, they just said not interested. So too bad, had a better offer to advance elsewhere and their interest in me was clear.

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#107

Post by amatecha » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 6:04 PM UTC

xhkkffbf wrote: post #103

yaacov wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you can’t get promoted internally, try getting promoted externally :)

Believe it or not, it can be easier. Often you're seen as a certain type or level in your current job. They can't imagine you doing a different one. Plus, if they promote you, they just have to fill a lower position. A new company doesn't have any of these biases. A friend in night school said he fully expected to have to move to a new company to get promoted. His current boss didn't see him as someone with a masters…

Yeah, as far as I've observed, this is one of the key reasons for consistent short (1-2yr) durations working at companies in the tech industry. You get a raise by getting hired at a new company. Personally for me, each time taking a job at a new employer has resulted in far greater compensation increases than if I had stayed at the same place and waited for a bonus/raise.

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#108

Post by abalashov » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 6:05 PM UTC

bdowling wrote: post #101

lvspiff wrote: post #76

After reading the article one thing that struck me was the " internal candidates who were rejected after interviewing with the hiring manager were half as likely to exit as those rejected earlier in the process." Working at a fortune 100 top 10 company I've applied for multiple higher level positions after 5 years and multiple high marks on my reviews and not gotten 1 recruiter call. I did get with one recruiter and…

> one of the positions was actually only posted for someone internally This is extremely common. A company can't allow for nepotism or favoritism, so it requires a public posting for any open position. Qualified external applicants see the posting and apply. The managers hire the internal candidate they wanted to hire anyway. It's all a huge waste of everyone's time. I'd bet that a large percentage of job postings ar…

It's even more fun in public institutions, e.g. universities, where a higher amount of perfunctory humouring of external candidates is required in order to create a somewhat more convincing appearance of an equitable search.

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#109

Post by abalashov » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 6:07 PM UTC

nickff wrote: post #105

Xavdidtheshadow wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Working at a fortune 100 top 10 company Isn't that the Fortune 10?

Apparently not; the Fortune 100 is a sort of curated list, and there is no shorter list. The 10 at the top are referred to as the "Fortune 100 Top 10". https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fortune-100.asp

I guess it's seen to be a little gauche to whittle the list down beyond a certain point, i.e. the Fortune 3.

Re: Rejected internal job applicants are twice as likely to quit

#110

Post by jdhn » Fri, Sep 03, 2021, 6:07 PM UTC

bdowling wrote: post #101

lvspiff wrote: post #76

After reading the article one thing that struck me was the " internal candidates who were rejected after interviewing with the hiring manager were half as likely to exit as those rejected earlier in the process." Working at a fortune 100 top 10 company I've applied for multiple higher level positions after 5 years and multiple high marks on my reviews and not gotten 1 recruiter call. I did get with one recruiter and…

> one of the positions was actually only posted for someone internally This is extremely common. A company can't allow for nepotism or favoritism, so it requires a public posting for any open position. Qualified external applicants see the posting and apply. The managers hire the internal candidate they wanted to hire anyway. It's all a huge waste of everyone's time. I'd bet that a large percentage of job postings ar…

This just happened to me. Recruiter reached out, asked for my resume because he had a job that looked good. I gave it to him, and 2 days later he called back saying that while they liked me, they were going with an internal candidate. Why bother with the whole charade if you're going to go with an internal person anyways?