Put forward for one role then downgraded between 1st and 2nd interview

FlippyFloppy22

Hi all,

A few weeks ago, a recruiter approached me for a manager role. They sent me the job description for the level below but said given my background and current salary, I would be more aligned with a manager role. When they submitted my application on Workday, it clearly specified "Manager".

I get invited to a first interview and oddly enough I was not asked any managerial questions. I thought it was strange because the application done on my behalf clearly stated "Manager" on Workday.

Fast forward, I get a call from the recruiter saying the company really liked me and would like to bring me in for a second interview but it would be for the role right below manager (somewhere between graduate and manager). The recruiter admitted that although Workday mentioned Manager, they really put me forward for a more junior role (which contradicts what they told me at first). It now makes sense why the first interview involved no managerial questions.

I am thinking of halting the process. A few points:

• The Manager job description requires 5 to 6 years experience in industry or consulting with no indication of people management as pre-requisite. I have 7 years.
• I was already at the proposed junior level in a prior company years ago. I left three years ago and have amassed enough experience to now be considered for Manager I believe.
• The recruiter is having me do a "lateral" move base salary wise (moving for the exact same salary), but I will miss out on my yearly bonus in industry because anyone below Manager does not get any bonus. Effectively, I will be reducing my overall compensation.

It seems to me the recruiter misled me saying they would be putting me forward for Manager to reel me in and knew they would eventually disclose it's for a more junior role. I think they knew it all along.

I need to specify the recruiter did not provide any feedback as to why I would have been downgraded from Manager to junior between the second interview. I'm pretty adamant the role I thought I was interviewing for vs the role the interviewers were interviewing me for were different.

Should I just halt the process?

munsterdevil

Are you applying for a job within the company you currently work for?

Either way, yes, halt the process; our instincts are usually right about these things and it does sound like they misled you.

ec18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058255335/put-forward-for-one-role-then-downgraded-between-1st-and-2nd-interview

Your post suggests the recruiter put you forward for the role below manager?

Unless you're interested in the role don't waste your time with the interview. You won't be getting the manager role.

is_that_so

It's not that rare and can happen when the company meets you and sees you as a better fit for a slightly different role. In my experience some of the criteria are just made up by recruiters. It can also be the case that companies don't really realise what they want until they meet candidates. If you are very put out by it just drop it. If you still want to work for them you can clarify it later.

Keedowah

You answered the question yourself - "Effectively, I will be reducing my overall compensation."

I would halt the process and put it behind you.

FlippyFloppy22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119364360#Comment_119364360

No, different company. I was approached by a recruiter (external to the company I'm applying for).

mmc2010

Sounds like the recruiter messed up and put you forward for the wrong role. Its possible now that they don't want to back track with the client and admit that they put you forward for the incorrect role. I would suggest saying to the recruiter that you are only interested in the manager position and they either put you forward for that or you're withdrawing.

FlippyFloppy22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119364364#Comment_119364364

They said to me during the initial conversation that it would be "Manager" . On Workday the application clearly states "Manager" but I'm suspecting the recruiter probably reached out to the company separately to make sure my application would be considered for the more junior role. They just used the "Manager" in Workday as umbrella to submit the application (without being transparent about it).

FlippyFloppy22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119364383#Comment_119364383

The interview itself wasn't even geared towards a managerial role, so I didn't even get the chance to get assessed in that regard. I was anticipating managerial questions that never came. It therefore makes me think the role that was presented to me was very different from the role I was interviewed for and I wasn't aware.

is_that_so

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119364414#Comment_119364414

Yeah, I've ended up in the odd interview where both myself and the company have been confused, a recruiter sending the wrong person for the wrong interview. I think you've answered your original question already.

spaceHopper

This is a storm in a tea cup and a life lesson, don't trust recruiters. He's playing you and the company. There is noting in this for you, they'll offer you the same money and you'd be starting over in new company. Put a stop to it, tell the recruiter you only had interest in the manager role and don't want to proceed with any more interviews. They'll huff and puff but just stand your ground

FlippyFloppy22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119384227#Comment_119384227

I ended up having an extensive conversation with the recruiter yesterday who was trying to gaslight me. They said the application was for a junior role from the start (which is a blatant lie as the application was very clearly submitted under Manager and I specifically referred to the Manager job description during our interview preparation call yet they did not correct me then). I explained the process was inadequate and me being told I would be considered for a more junior position halfway through the process was not appropriate especially as the first interview was clearly not geared towards manager given no managerial questions were asked. There should have been transparency from the start.

Then they went on about how the Manager role requires extensive managerial experience which is not true as there was no mention of any previous managerial in the job description. When I mentioned this fact to the recruiter, they said that they can't have this as pre-requisite in the job description as it would reduce the pool of applications (complete contradiction here as it implies someone with little to no managerial experience can still be considered).

Following our long discussion yesterday where I politely explained my view of the lack of transparency, I told them I would need to get back to them on whether I wanted to pursue the process for the more junior role.

Today, I sent them an email stating that I would not move forward with the role and their response was: "Do you have anything else line up or is it due to a change in your current role?". The gaslighting is beyond words.

mumo3

Detest recruiters, I added my CV online a number of years ago and they still ring me, the CV is clearly outdated, but the jobs they contact me about don't seem to exist anyway.

You just need to remember recruiters are out to make money, they don't give a **** about you, your a number in a role, that they receive a kick back for!!

bucketybuck

OP needs to understand that recruiters do not give one single **** about the candidate. Their aim is to get people into interviews in the hope that some percentage of them will turn into hires that generate commission. Whether the person is a good fit for the job is totally irrelevant to that goal. Whether the person actually wants the interview is totally irrelevant to that goal, its just a numbers game.

Time spent analysing whether a recruiter is gaslighting or not is wasted time, being honest to the employee is very much secondary to the goal of meeting their quota or targets.

People can make use of recruiters, they have their uses, just don't pretend that they are actually there to help "you".

ETA: I've just noticed your other thread, one that also seems to be confused about how recruiters and headhunters operate. Seriously, do not treat them the same as dealing directly with a company. An interview with a recruiter is meaningless, promises from a recruiter mean nothing, they just want numbers of people to put forward and you need to be aware of that.

FlippyFloppy22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119389073#Comment_119389073

100% agree on everything you mentioned bar the EDIT bit. I'm not confused.

I got two of my previous jobs through a recruiter. I know how they operate and their ultimate goal is to get a commission regardless of how they get it because it is a sales job. I should have simply known them flaking on me during our interview preparation call was a reflection of their nature.

There are some good recruiters out there, but they are quite rare.

spaceHopper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119388982#Comment_119388982

I know you want to tear them apart but it's not in your best interests. Simply say that when you approached me we talked about the management role, the workday portal said "manager". Wires have gotten crossed somewhere I've no interest in the other role, please withdraw my application.

Xander10

In fairness to recruiters, I wouldn't tar them all with the same brush. I have got roles in the past from some smaller niche recruiters who went out of there way to match me to specific roles.