[libbylu]

This is a vent really.
I applied for a very specialised job last week at a large University. My skills exactly match what they are looking for and I am probably even slightly overqualified for the position, but hey, it's part time and it would have suited well.
I spoke to the Head of Department a few weeks ago and she was really excited about the prospect of me applying. She told me they would interview the week after the deadline. I duly put in my application online and received an autoconfirmation. I emailed the HoD today to find out where they were up to, since I hadn't heard from them. I also called the HR department to confirm they received my application, which they had.
Late today I got an email back from the HoD telling me they had interviewed today and why didn't I apply?!?!?! I wrote back to say I HAD applied and wondered why I wasn't shortlisted. I haven't heard back yet, but racking my brains can not think why I wouldn't have been short listed. The HoD obviously wasn't even aware I had applied. I can only think it has been a major FU by HR. And I am so disappointed because I imagine at this stage it is all too late to do anything about it.
I did send a second email saying that if my application was overlooked in error and they did want to interview me I would be available on Friday and Monday. It just seems so unfair. Jobs in this particular area, particularly part time jobs, don't come up very often : (
Also kicking myself that I didn't email the HoD the day I submitted my application to let her know I had done so.

This post has been edited by libbylu: 31/01/2012, 05:53 PM

[sparkle77]

Actually, I think you should contact HR to put in an appeal on administrative grounds. They received your application yet the people reviewing the applications (hod) did not receive it. Call them today and speak to someone high up.

[Mexy]

Yep - what sparkle said. Good luck!

[Faradaye]

Hi, I am going to make a huge, unfair, sweeping generalisation and say well, that's the academic work place for you. All my dealings with such places have shown them to be utterly useless at tracking paperwork. They lose everything, one hand doesn't know what the other is doing, it's so frustrating. And they always keep everything as manual and paperbased as possible, cos don't they just love ticking things off lists!

That is why I will never apply for a job in that environment.

[Gangnam Style]

OP, was the Head of department involved in the process of reviewing the applications and preparing a shortlist? It might sound obvious that she would be, but maybe it was done at a lower level?

While you may have great experience, and even be overqualified, it's a really tough market out there. I recently recruited for a mid-level accounts admin position in a similar organisation. We got 85 applications and about a third of them had CPA or a masters degree - completely overqualified for the position! A large number of the applicants had also done the same or similar job in a the same sort of organisation. In those circumstances, a lot of very well qualified and experienced people ended up culled from the shortlist, simply because there were some who were even better.

[qak]

My understanding is that apart from being a tough market, the way the PS system runs is that the most qualified get interviews. So you might have been slightly over qualified, but other applicants may have been even more overqualified.

[libbylu]

I would be extremely surprised if there were three people in Melbourne who would be looking for a job at this level (not that high) with more qualifications than me in this particularly specialised area.

In any case the HoD got back to me and said she would look into it so I imagine I will hear from her tomorrow. I guess someone at a lower level would have filtered through the applications and referred the top ones on to her. For whatever reason, she had not seen mine, and was not aware that I had applied.

I guess we will see tomorrow.

[libbylu]

Okay, so I finally had a call from the Uni today.....it seems they had over 120 applications for the position. According to the woman who called, HR attached the applications in a file sent to the HoD, but due to the size of the file, not all applications went through. So although HR received my application, the department did not.
So they have now read it and want to interview me on Thursday! Happy days!

[sparkle77]

That's great news! Good on you for following up, otherwise you might not have gotten the interview!
I hope HR have realized the flaw in their systems and don't allow this to happen again.

good luck!

[Mexy]

How did you go?