Vacancy Withdrawn - Northern

[185]

Some time ago, a thread on here discussed Northern Rail's constant withdrawing of jobs, often without reason. There was some suggestion at the time the vacancies had been advertised wrongly, or were being advertised whilst position became vacant pending a sacked employee's appeal. Often the vacancy would be withdrawn only for the exact same post to be advertised a few days later.

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Yesterday, they went one better...

In September, Northern rail advertised a position for Revenue Protection Officers at Leeds, closing the advert two weeks later. Online tests were sent out. An email suggesting a delay was sent out. Then nothing.

Yesterday Northern rail advertised another position for Revenue Protection Officers at Leeds.

They then withdrew the September vacancy. (!?!?!)

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Am I right in thinking they are several carriages short of a train set? :roll:

 

[Greenback]

It does look like that from the outside!

Having worked inside recruitment for a non railway orgnaisation, I can say that sometimes the company policies and procedures make this sort of thing happen. Sometimes, it is just a managerial decision, and sometimes it is just hard to decide what to do for the best. It usually depends on the circumstances of the vacancy itself.

Here are just a couple of possible scenarios:

1. There is an error on the job advert
Possible solutions
- withdraw the advert, and put out a new one when the correct details have been confirmed.
- amend the existing advert and inform everyone who has already applied
Obviously, it is easier to do the latter if the mistake has been noticed quickly! Note also that the mistake may have come from the manager or department wanting to fill the vacancy. It may also have been made by HR. The nature of the error will also have a bearing, if it is something that is not lawful, maybe becuase of potential discrimination, the advert has to go!

2. A An employee at risk of displacement is identified as being suitable for the position
Possible solutions
- withdraw the advert, only for the decision to be reversed later if the candidate is not suitable after all.
- keep the advert out pending a discussion with the individual or a job trial, but have to withdraw it when the trial is successful
- put the job advert 'on hold'
The best solution may not always be the same in this scenario, it will depend on the procedures of the company in question, the stage at which the vacancy has reached, the urgency of the vacancy and the nature of the vacancy.

It's also worth pointing out that the older the vacancy is, the more chance ther eis that some of the applicants will no longer be interested in the post. So if someone applies in September, and the role will not be shortlisted until the following March, a signifcant number of those who originally applied may well turn down an interview or assessment invitation.

Some organisations will prefer to advertise again for this reason if there has been a delay in the recruitment process.

 

[185]

Side by side, looking at the two adverts, they were identical - probably pasted from previous adverts, so an error is probably out of the equation.

The positions advertised are within a very large, fluid bank of revenue staff, regularly under compliment by 20-25% due to departures and internal promotions; although not impossible, I would discount the possibility of this being related to just one member of staff's predicament/situation.

Just sent an email direct to their HR director - wonder if he has the answer.

 

[Greenback]

Side by side, looking at the two adverts, they were identical - probably pasted from previous adverts, so an error is probably out of the equation.

The positions advertised are within a very large, fluid bank of revenue staff, regularly under compliment by 20-25% due to departures and internal promotions; although not impossible, I would discount the possibility of this being related to just one member of staff's predicament/situation.

Just sent an email direct to their HR director - wonder if he has the answer.

It would be interesting to know what the answer is! Of course it may just be incompetence! There are a few other possibilities I can think of from my own experience, almost all of them involve a mess up somewhere in the chain!

I would bet that something has gone wrong with the previous recruitment and it's just been decided to start again. Not that I have a good record when it comes to gambling...

 

[185]

This was due to a reorganisation of the department and the job previously advertised was no longer required but the 2 new vacancies are for 2 new posts that have been created.

Hmm. I'm at a loss to work out how the addition of a second, extra part time RPO post requires the reorganisation of an entire department of thirty staff. No one I know of at Leeds knows of any past/planned restructuring or reorganisation.

I wish they'd just admit they've messed up.

 

[185]

Crikey, gets better.....

They've just withdrawn.....
Vacancy 006, the RPO vacancy replacing the withdrawn RPO vacancy.

Unbelievably stupid.

 

[Greenback]

I must confess I am intrigued to know what is going on! What they are doing is not making a lot of sense, and it's beginning to look more and more like it is incompetence!

 

[302PS]

**** myself then!

 

[garlic bread]

wonder if they will withdraw the Leeds trainee driver thats recently gone up then!
hopefully not...

 

[Jones]

Any one know what Northern are like generally with recruitment?

Applied for a post and heard nothing.....

 

[185]

I must confess I am intrigued to know what is going on! What they are doing is not making a lot of sense, and it's beginning to look more and more like it is incompetence!

Like I said in a previous thread, it's annoying as their are one or two really good staff in their HR, and this kind of silliness makes them all look bad.

 

[Beveridges]

" Vacancy withdrawn" used to happen when a job was filled internally. Which begs the question, why advertise it externally in the first place and waste peoples time applying?

 

[John1976]

Just as an aside, do their HR give out results over the phone for interviews sat or strictly just email?

 

[Beveridges]

It used to be a letter. It may have changed as it has been years since I was last interviewed.

 

[Louby]

Just as an aside, do their HR give out results over the phone for interviews sat or strictly just email?

Mine have all been email

 

[Scott6587]

Found them to be very very slow and unprofessional in the application process but defiantly worth pursuing as they are a great company to work for.