Possibly missing out on a job because of HR officer

de Faoite_girl

Hi all,

I would appreciate your opinion and advice on something please. Here is the situation (apologies for the very long message):

I recently applied for a job based in France. A few days later, I had a phone interview with the HR officer of the company. He told me that, in fact, the job did not have to be based in France but that it could be based anywhere I wanted because they are quite flexible with this. Therefore, he said there was no problem for me working from home (Cork) if I wanted to. I told him that I did not mind relocating at all to France, that hubby and I had even considered it at some point (I'm French, hubby is Irish but speaks French) but that it is even better if I can work from home in Cork.

Anyway, the interview went very well imo and the HR guy was pretty nice. All in all, I had a very good impression and positive vibe. My profile and experience perfectly match their requirements as I have already held the same kind of position in the past. At the end of our chat, he said that he was going to pass on my details to the managers in France and in Dublin, that they would want to interview me too.

Brilliant. I'm elated (have been looking for a job for a little while).

Problem is, the next day, he sends me an email telling me that, in fact, the managers feel that the job should really be based in France. He apologised for the confusion and asked me if I would be interested in new opportunities that *might* arise in 2011. And that's it!

I replied to him saying that this was still no problem to me, that I was still willing to consider relocating (as I told him initially) should the right opportunity come along, which seemed to be the case here. I asked him to please send me on to the next stage of interviews if he deemed my profile to match their requirements.

I heard nothing from him for a couple of days from him and I have to say that I had a bad feeling about it, I don't know, some kind of bad *premonition* or something so, I sent him an email yesterday and told him that I would be travelling to France in a few days and that I would be happy to make myself available for an interview there should they want me to (that trip was planned ages ago, will be visiting my family for a few days).

He replied to me pretty much straight away with a one-liner saying that the company would not pay for any relocation fees, and that's it! He could have said, well we won't pay for your relocation but if you are still happy with that, we can arrange an interview with the managers. No, he just left it at that. Weird…

Anyway, I answered straight away telling him that I indeed assumed that there might be some element of if there seeing as the job was advertised on Monster Ireland and not on Monster France (while the job is supposed to be based in France). I added that, however, the fact that the company would pay or not for the relocation fees was not my prime consideration at all, that all my relatives were living in France and that I could avail of their support should I need it in relocating. I then told him again that I felt that I could make a positive contribution to the company and that I would still be willing to make myself available for an interview in France next week.

Since then, no news.

I find it weird that, after initially applying for a job based in France while I am located here (which kind of implies that I'm OK relocating abroad), after telling him that I had no problem relocating to France and that I would still be willing to do it even if the company was not paying for the relocation, he seemed to dismiss this idea straight away with his one-liner message.

I mean, he did not seem to insist whatsoever, just said that the company would not pay for relocation and that's it. I thought that he was still going to ask me if I was ok with that and then go ahead with interviews.

Isn't it up to me to decide if I really wish to relocate or not? Or are employers generally afraid of people relocating? In that case, why advertise a job in Ireland if it is meant to be based in France?

Then again, he never mentioned anything regarding my profile matching their requirements or not. I feel like he thinks that my profile is not right for the role (I would find it hard to believe, I literally meet all their requirements) but he is afraid to tell me, so he prefers kind of blaming it on a possible relocation issue.

I don't know… Sorry for the long message and all guys, but I had really high hopes there. I felt that my luck had somewhat changed with this *perfect* job suddenly appearing in front of me.

And now, there you go...

What do you think? Am I right in thinking that there is something weird here?

Thanks for your input guys,
DFG

pow wow

For employers they'd rather the path of least resistance, i.e. hiring someone who already lives where the job is based. I found this all the time when I'd apply for jobs in cities/countries I was moving to, even once I'd confirmed my travel and the move was 100%. I found as soon as I had a local address on my CV I was fielding offers! Quite simply it's much less hassle, or potential hassle, to hire someone already (t)here.

Re. the advertising on monster.ie, it could have been an error or they could genuinely at the outset have been flexible on location and changed their mind.

I think whatever his reasons are, he's made his position on this pretty clear. I don't know if you could go round him to further your application, but if you did I doubt it would win you any favours from the company. Another job will come along.

Random_Fate

Yeah, in future you should use a relative's address in France on your CV if that is possible. It will cut out the relocation element and they'll look more at you than your location.

de Faoite_girl

Thanks for your input guys, I totally agree with you on this one but, in that case, there is no point advertising a job in Ireland only if it is supposed to be based in France and the guys won't hire people relocating. Doesn't make sense to me.

Anyway, I can forget about that one now.

Thanks again,
DFG