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Had a job interview to replace an IT Manager and this was quite hush-hush for the company. Their current IT Manager wasn't to know he was on the way out... ok. However when I came in for the first interview I saw the guy lugging computers around, and he saw me - we clearly both look like IT people I can't deny that. I also signed in and took a visitors badge as instructed. Interviewed first with one person, then went upstairs and interviewed with the head of HR - who's office was RIGHT BESIDE the IT managers office... I asked about this but they said 'oh don't worry he can't hear this."

SECOND interview - IT guy wasn't around and I spent about 3 hours there with HR and other various key people around the factory, getting to know people, etc.... things went very well I think and they were going to be in touch very soon.

three weeks later, I reached out to my head hunter as to why I hadn't heard anything and he got in touch with them.... they said I was no longer being considered for the position because i had violated the privacy of their current IT person. Who had apparently marched into HR and told them he knew that "insert my name here" had been here interviewing for his position...

The Question

Obviously I don't want to work there now anyway if they treat people like this, but can you think of any way of learning exactly what happened? This was very strange and frustrating, and it will bug me for a long time. Coming from an IT guy, I care about keeping things confidential, and keeping clients happy.... to learn they feel I did neither is very maddening

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    Sounds like the HR manager messed up and threw you under the bus.
    – Rex M
    Mar 20, 2014 at 18:44
  • I agree. I'm mad that I took two vacation days to spend with this company, and then to not even be given a first person account by the HR people as to what they are saying happened. Very unprofessional.
    – user17609
    Mar 20, 2014 at 19:05
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    There is not really a question here this is more of a rant. If you have a question to ask please edit the question and clarify what it is. Mar 20, 2014 at 19:29
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    Go to the company and ask them. This is a perfect case for the blunt approach. Call or show up in person and demand an explanation.
    – Jasmine
    Mar 20, 2014 at 22:55
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    If it's any consolation, imagine how much worse it would have been had this incident not occurred and you ended up working for this whack-job company. Mar 21, 2014 at 1:27

2 Answers 2

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I think it's simple. The IT Manager did realise he was in trouble when he saw you. He likely confronted them, and when pressed he may have exaggerated his interaction with you to back up his accusations.

The likelihood is that you are out the running as it's too obvious if you go back to the office (someone with an evil streak may like to turn up at the company to talk to the HR manager, just to see the reaction, but I'd never think of doing that).

Sounds like you dodged a bullet, given how they went about replacing him, what could they do to you?

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three weeks later, I reached out to my head hunter as to why I hadn't heard anything and he got in touch with them.... they said I was no longer being considered for the position because i had violated the privacy of their current IT person. Who had apparently marched into HR and told them he knew that "insert my name here" had been here interviewing for his position...

You can look at this in various ways.

  • You have just been made a scapegoat for someone else's mistake.
  • The current IT manager has sorted out his problem with the management and HR.
  • They lost interest in you.

Most likely you have been made a scapegoat.

Whether the result of all your efforts are positive or negative, you can take comfort in the knowledge that the lessons you gain from the experience will only make your future interviews easier.

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