Do You (User/Hiring) Managers Feel Insecure When a More Capable (& Younger) Candidate Apply?

LFinney on 18/03/2017 - 21:50

It may be subjective and hard to prove but based on your personal experience as user/hiring manager and/or candidate and your analysis,

Do users/hiring managers feel insecure when a more capable (and probably younger) individual apply for a role (in your team/department) AND reject/ignore the job application?*

*Partially to protect the users/hiring managers' best interests (e.g. position)?

Notes:

$ Reject application does not solely mean sending rejection letter/email prior to interviews/selection processes. It can also include final decision to turn the candidate down after a series of interviews/selection processes.

$ I know there can be lots of scenarios and possibilities as to why a candidate does not get the job or why users/hiring managers turn the candidate down (examples would be hiring companies posted vacancy/position which does not actually exist just to expand their talent pool/gauge the labor market/for other purposes, they have (personally-referred) candidates in mind but still advertise as required by the regulations for formality, they interviewed capable candidates to look good and show that the company is professional regardless whether they actually hire the capable candidate vs someone they are feeling (more) secure with, etc.) but let's stick to the question and poll.

Poll Options

  • 4
    <Yes I/they do that because it is very natural for human being. Sorry the world is not fair.>
  • 4
    <No I do not. But I do know/hear others have done so/are doing it. None of my business.>
  • 3
    <No I do not. But I do know/hear others have done so/are doing it. It is wrong and need a solution.>
Education & Work

Comments

  • Amour on 18/03/2017 - 22:15
    +5

    A successful manager surrounds themselves with trustworthy people that are experts in what they do. I am delighted when I find a superstar, regardless of how old they are.

    • Finney on 18/03/2017 - 22:21

      And would you mind to do the poll? Thanks!

      • Baysew on 18/03/2017 - 22:52
        +6

        Your poll is seriously flawed.

        • Finney on 18/03/2017 - 23:00

          What do you want to be there?

        • Baysew on 18/03/2017 - 23:01
          +3

          @Finney: Bikies.

    • Finney on 18/03/2017 - 23:03

      Alright, I hope this is true. But people can also think that this is easier to be said than done?

  • kywst on 18/03/2017 - 22:24
    +1

    Shouldn't there be an option along the lines of "No and I've not seen it occur but if I did I would think it to be wrong."

    I'm no longer in management but when I was I would often employ people who were leagues beyond me but I was hiring them to do a job that wasn't mine. My manager was hiring people to perform the likes of my role … see where this is going?

    If you didn't get the job it's not because the hiring manager thought "They gunna take my job =/" … it's because there was a better suitor to the role. Is it that hard to believe you're not always going to be the best at everything?

    • Finney on 18/03/2017 - 22:56

      I'm no longer in management but when I was I would often employ people who were leagues beyond me but I was hiring them to do a job that wasn't mine. My manager was hiring people to perform the likes of my role … see where this is going?

      Say that more capable candidate is applying for deputy manager and get hired. Isn't quite reasonable that if the person is (extremely) capable then the person will be promoted to manager positions (although not necessarily replacing the users/hiring managers) and may eventually compete with the hiring managers for higher positions?
      I personally know someone more capable is appointed to lead an important department and to replace a less capable manager. The less capable manager is asked to lead a less important department. (More or less important can be subjective)

      If you didn't get the job it's not because the hiring manager thought "They gunna take my job =/" … it's because there was a better suitor to the role. Is it that hard to believe your not always going to be the best at everything?

      People say that users/hiring managers say things that are rather easier to be said than done.

      • kywst on 18/03/2017 - 23:05
        +2

        Sounds to me as though you're butt hurt that your manager is a stoner and you're stuck putting up with their sh!t and incompetence whilst slugging it out in your menial dead end entry level position. But here's where it gets real good my man. Judging by the way you've constructed this nonsense you'll be in this very position until you learn to grow up and get over it.

        edit: or the person you know personally

        • Finney on 18/03/2017 - 23:15

          That incompetence manager has been replaced by someone more capable!

          Why this construction is nonsense? This is a question and a poll. You can elaborate your answer and you have done it/are doing it.

          Glad that less capable managers are being replaced by more capable individuals.

        • kywst on 18/03/2017 - 23:31
          +2

          @Finney: Mate I'm really struggling then … and I'm really good at reading the subtext. If you're glad that an imcompetant manager has been replaced and this has indeed occurred then what is the grievance? Initially I thought your poorly constructed poll coupled with an equally poor set of leading questions that are indicative of personal turmoil was you venting … now I have no idea.

          Here's some real world answers none the less …

          Say that more capable candidate is applying for deputy manager and get hired. Isn't quite reasonable that if the person is (extremely) capable then the person will be promoted to manager positions (although not necessarily replacing the users/hiring managers) and may eventually compete with the hiring managers for higher positions?

          Sure but this would be welcomed by the manager. How do you expect them to take on a promotion without grooming a successor from their talent pool?

          People say that users/hiring managers say things that are rather easier to be said than done.

          Sure. There are plenty of times a manager will say something and not necessarily follow through. Hell, corporate culture is complex at the best of times. The term manager may not even imply that you manage people at all … many organisations are matricized; meaning your manager may have absolutely no influence in your day to day activities whereas someone without a manager title could be the one who directs your work.

          Do users/hiring managers feel insecure when a more capable (and probably younger) individual apply for a role (in your team/department) AND reject/ignore the job application?

          Partially to protect the users/hiring managers' best interests (e.g. position)?

          No. It's in the hiring managers best interests to have someone in the pipes to replace them at some point else they risk becoming too valuable to progress. It is also unethical to the point that for said manager to be in that position in the first place there would be systemic issues warranting not sticking around anyway.

        • Finney on 18/03/2017 - 23:42
          -1

          @kywst:

          I'm really good at reading the subtext

          Really?

          then what is the grievance?

          This is a poll!

        • kywst on 18/03/2017 - 23:48
          +1

          @Finney: but it isn't and I'm not the only one who can see that. You're alleging "narcissistic behaviour" while exhibiting narcissistic behaviour.

        • RockyRaccoon on 19/03/2017 - 00:16
          +3

          @kywst: The basic rule here is to first check how long the poster has been a member before wasting your time

        • kywst on 19/03/2017 - 00:20
          +2

          @RockyRaccoon: Sadly I had the time to waste.

        • RockyRaccoon on 19/03/2017 - 00:22
          +2

          @kywst: Fair enough, although feeding a troll is probably does not even reach wasting time levels😀

        • kywst on 19/03/2017 - 00:30
          +1

          @RockyRaccoon: If you feed them enough they can explode. That's a real win. I'm a d!ck by day and an even bigger d!ck by night but I'd be less harsh on a legit community member …

        • endotherm on 19/03/2017 - 06:47

          @kywst: But what happens if you end up hiring an even more capable d!ck?

        • kywst on 19/03/2017 - 11:57

          @endotherm: this sums it up well.

  • davidmwilliams on 19/03/2017 - 07:48
    +2

    The poll is flawed and only has options for "it does happen".

    The entire post sounds like the OP applied for a job and was rejected and can only possibly conceive the reason to be they were superior to the older and far more experienced manager, and that the manager somehow felt threatened.

    Perhaps OP would do better reflecting on whether they are as knowledgeable and inexperienced as they think they are, especially if they're clearly applying for regular team member roles not the manager position itself.

    • eatwell365 on 19/03/2017 - 09:17

      Agreed. The poll seems presumptuous, discriminative and biased.
      It is like making statements rather than asking unbiased question.

      Fact: often new "could be" hires are turned down not because they are not smart but being too smart a$$ - seems to know everything.
      LIsten is the word of wisdom.

  • mskeggs on 19/03/2017 - 09:30
    +5

    Often younger staff have superior qualifications to more experienced workers. For some of the immature younger ones this leads them to believe they may be more capable.
    In my experience, from being one of those cocky youngsters some time ago, most grow up and recognise that work requires a whole galaxy of talent more than a degree, but some don't, and worry they are being deliberately held back. If this turns into bitterness that they are being treated unfairly, it prevents them from becoming truly better at their jobs as it blocks them from learning from more experienced co-workers, in effect leading them to undermine their own careers! Unfortunately, due to ego, it is often hard for people in this situation to believe this applies to them.

  • ozbjunkie on 19/03/2017 - 20:07

    Google double barrel question

    That's what's wrong with your poll

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