Accepted new job and interview conflict

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• abs2512 Posts: 611

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  30/07/14 - 13:09 #2

  I'm confused and can't really offer any real advice but I would like to make things clear in my mind.
  
  You say you were interviewed for a job (fixed term) and got the position offered to you verbally (dependant on references). You then say that you have been offered an interview for the same position but this time it is for a permanent position.
  
  Can you not just call up HR (or better still the person that interviewed you) and explain that you wish your application to be considered for the permanent position and as you have already interviewed and been offered can you just accept the same job but in the permanent position.

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• gashead Posts: 13,816

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  30/07/14 - 13:34 #3

  I'm confused too. How can you be offered an interview for the same job that you've already been offered and accepted? Fixed term (which you say you've accepted) or permanent (which you say you've been asked to attend an interview for) surely the job is the same, so why would they feel they need to interview you again? As for attending the interview, but admitting you've already been offered the role, why doesn't the person offering you the interview know you've already accepted the job, albeit on a fixed term basis? Only advice I can suggest is as abs2512 says, although I'd start by asking HR to clarify what they consider the current status of the new role is. Maybe there's just several crossed wires for what is ultimately the exact same role?
  

  letitiadeanfan wrote: »

  Apparently it all hangs on references now but both mine are headteachers and may not be contactable til September so I have no start date in sight.

  Where getting in touch with and obtaining a person's references may take a while (and it frequently does for most people), it's common practice to obtain refs. after the person has started, or at least, not let the lack of them delay the start date (although I appreciate there are certain jobs where the references may be critical - security related perhaps - so maybe you're in one of those).

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• [Deleted User] Posts: 516

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  30/07/14 - 14:12 #4

  It's an admin position and the job description/person specification are exactly the same as the job I accepted. However, the interviewer is q different person so could be an entirely different department. It would make sense to ask, but the contact information I was given is directly to Friday's interviewer so the above problem still stands...

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• gashead Posts: 13,816

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  30/07/14 - 14:39 #5

  letitiadeanfan wrote: »

  It's an admin position and the job description/person specification are exactly the same as the job I accepted. However, the interviewer is q different person so could be an entirely different department. It would make sense to ask, but the contact information I was given is directly to Friday's interviewer so the above problem still stands...

  It seems odd to me that two different people would interview you for the same job, with neither apparently aware of the other one. Seeing as HR has already offered you the role - and you've accepted - personally I'd start with them and ask where this second interview fits in. What if you attend this second interview and you mess it up somehow and the interviewer doesn't offer it to you? Which interview counts? The first or the second? What if no-one gets back to you (which from what you've wrote, seems a distinct possibility)? You'll be even more confused about what's going on than you already are. If you speak to HR, they may explain that it's a mistake and you don't need to be interviewed again. In my experience, it's best to try to clear up any confusion or mis-understanding the moment it rears its head. The longer you leave it, the more confused everyone will get and it can only get more complicated.

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• Normandie Posts: 4,617

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  30/07/14 - 14:42 #6

  It isn't unusual for references not to be available until someone has started a job so the fact that your referees may not be available for a month isn't (imo) a showstopper. There's nothing to stop a company employing someone and then letting them go during a probationary period having discovered something 'wrong' in their background. Offers certainly used to be made (and accepted) subject to references.
  
  Do you want a permanent position rather than a fixed term? If so, it is simple: you have to do what's best for you. It's not a question of being selfish - it's pragmatic common sense. There's no question in my mind that you should definitely go to the Friday interview.
  
  At this time, I think I'd play the situation by ear. I wouldn't tell the "offer" manager that you are interviewing because until after the interview, there's nothing to tell her. You may not get on with the person interviewing, they may not think you are a fit for the precise job for which you'll be interviewing, whatever. In which case there's nothing to say. If she heard, you'd simply say that in an ideal world, you'd like a permanent job.
  
  I would probably say to the Friday interviewer at a convenient point that you have interviewed elsewhere in the enterprise for an admin post and have had an offer made but that there is nothing official in writing yet (is there?) so there is no certainty that the offer will become official. And anyway, you prefer stability and commitment and would prefer a permanent role. All of that is perfectly reasonable.
  
  If you think the interview has gone well, at that point I might contact the first manager and explain... but I probably wouldn't until I got a firm offer in writing from the second interview.
  
  It isn't selfish to be businesslike about choosing the best option for your life security long-term. You interviewed elsewhere first for a job based on different terms and conditions. It's a shame the first woman has taken so long to find someone she wants to employ but that's not your problem or responsibility.

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• [Deleted User] Posts: 516

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  07/08/14 - 15:19 #7

  I didn't get the job because they already knew I'd been offered the other.
  
  Anyhow, completely new question now on the subject of the new job I need advice on.
  
  The job was offered to me on the 14th July. I had to turn down another job on the basis of an e-mail from my manager offering me the job.
  
  The official offer letter didn't arrive until August 1st, even though I have been ready to go since July 28th.
  
  It wasn't until July 30th HR worked out that having worked in a school previously that I was actually an internal employee that half the pre-employment checks they had been telling me were taking the time didn't need to be done and that all they needed were my references.
  
  Both my referees are headteachers so are technically on holidays at the moment, so I'm running the risk of my references not being taken up til September. I called HR myself yesterday due to lack of contact and was told my most recent employer had handed in my reference and they were waiting for a reference from my previous Head.
  
  Annoyingly, this same woman will have given a reference for me for my last job under this council. This reference is also less than 4 months old and will say nothing different anyway but apparantly they need to ask for new ones.
  
  I received no acknowledgement of my acceptance of the post until I called the individual in HR myself and he told me the above information.
  
  So now I feel as if it falls to me to chase the reference as it's now been 3 weeks and I can't do without wages for much longer which I believe is perfectly reasonable. I have emailed the referee to ask for the reference. I've tried calling the school but am just on hold and I've even asked old colleagues for contact info, but no-one (understandably) has personal contact info for this head.
  
  The reference request wasn't even sent to her until last week according to Mr HR(!) so it probably seems like I'm hounding her but I really can't miss out on a month's pay - which is especially irritating when I know they already have the exact reference they will receive on file from my last job.
  
  Please advise on how I should proceed....

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• scottl Posts: 1,046

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  07/08/14 - 17:49 #8

  Lots of work references now just confirm you worked there between 2 dates (and didn't get sacked maybe ?? ). I got asked to confirm a reference 6 months after starting once.
  
  Edit: don't feel bad about 'hounding' someone - just be extra polite and professional. I had to get a reference from someone I hadn't seen for 15 years - as I'd worked for the same company for 15 years and they wanted another company reference.
  
  
  With personal references I'd use a personal email address if possible - not work related even if you know them through work.

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• maxsi Posts: 2,412

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  07/08/14 - 21:20 #9

  Tell them that they have a 4 month old reference and ask if they can use it? They should be able to as you have worked for them all the time.

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• [Deleted User] Posts: 675

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  07/08/14 - 23:27 #10

  If it is a secondary school with 6th form there will be someone in next weds and Thurs as its GCE results, the following week its GCSE.
  Try ringing then or go in if the phones aren't on and leave a message. I would expect the head will be in school on both mornings.

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