Nepotism and job interviews

[Guest]

I know that nepotism in the workplace is not illegal..

Is it nepotism when, of six people selected for interview for the same job, one is employed at the firm as a temp, four are selected because their father's and a husband are employees, and the sixth is an outsider who is selected on the basis of their work history?

The outsider accepted the interview invitation not knowing this state of affairs and found out about the status of the other applicants at an induction. She is astonished that interviewees are not being judged on the same standards.

[Amethyst]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

Who got the job? I think you have to be careful not to jump to conclusions, unless you have all the CV's and are involved in the interviews it would be nigh on impossible to say whether the person got the job because of their relationship to someone else at the firm or due to their skills/quals/personality etc. ( but I agree it doesn't sound great )

[Guest]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

The interviews take place on Thursday.

Employer is a VERY high profile organisation and the job involves specialist investigation of incidents that have compromised public safety. The person who got the interview on her own merits comes from a police background where she controlled emergency incidents, including those involving the potential new employer, and investigated incidents with evidence for the CPS.

Other interviewees are
1 a nurse whose husband works for the employee
2 a temp who has a degree in criminology
3 the son of an employee, currently doing admin for a pension company
4 - 5 two daughters of existing employees, who fresh from uni, applied for the job because "daddy thought it would be a good idea"

[Amethyst]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

Could the company actually just be humouring the other interviewee's respective families with attachments to the firm ? They don't sound particularly qualified for the role it has to be said, but the company might want someone they can mould / train to their way of doing things, and they may have experience/knowledge/skills that you aren't aware of from on the surface. The Temp sounds most qualified from what you say the position involves. I guess it could go against the 'outside' person that she has previously investigated the company ? I would certainly recommend against her mentioning anything whatsoever about the other candidates at the interview.

[MENTION=51026]Ula[/MENTION]

[warwick65]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

If this is a large company they are , in my experience, usually extra careful about being seen to be unfair.
You have made some statements such as Daddy thought it would be a good idea - not sure how you know and I never take gossip at face value although I can't deny i do love a good gossip.

So they are interviewing a mix of men and women, are they all white or all BME individuals . Are they all straight or are they all gay or are they a mix. Are any of them disabled?

Lots of things that could be classed as protected characteristics

maybe wait for the outcome

[Viking1985]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

I know that nepotism in the workplace is not illegal.

Hi,

So nepotism is legal. Inefficient, unpleasant but legal.

Re applicants for jobs. You may be amazed at how few applicants the form may have had (would be good to hear, could you find out?). Some firms DELIBERATELY interview "no hopers" for complicated reasons (big up status of winner, avoid shame of only one candidate, avoid Boss telling them to re advertise, whatever!) .

Of course those who have "inside knowledge " have a higher chance of getting an interview 'cos they get tips on applying. Tricky to stop, may feel wrong but then the Sons and Daughters of even very left wing Senior politicians are now MPs... Google search; Blair, Straw, Kinnock, Munn etc, etc!

Personally I think it is crappy, so much effort for those who "fail" to get job... But that is just my opinion.

If this is not public money or a PLC then they are degrading their own, private businesses by not hiring the best of the best they can afford. Again just my opinion backed up with 100s of years of history!

Get over it? Or work to change the system?

Viking

[ULA]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

Six people may have been selected for the interview but I am not sure from your posts whether it is known how many people actually applied for the position. There should have been some criteria for short-listing and that may have included Amethyst's point about "humouring the other interviewee's respective families."

Certainly there should be some pre-determined criteria already set against which they should objectively judge each of the candidates interviewed. Some of the criteria should be based on capability to do the job, any relevant previous experience even if it is a transferable skill and one important point which is often lost on candidates is whether, however qualified to do the job, will they fit in with the general culture/working environment of the firm.

I think it will be a case and wait to seethe outcome of the interviews.

[Guest]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

The 'outside' person has not directly been involved in investigating the company but rather incidents which involve the company (it's not possible to expand without naming the company).

I have wondered whether there may be two applicants in contention (the 'outsider' and the temp) and whether the others are being interviewed to humour the relations. Time will tell.

Thank you for your input.

[Guest]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

The six were invited to an induction to meet their prospective work colleagues. They were asked to introduce themselves and to explain why they had applied for the job.

The nurse responded that her husband, who works there, had thought it a good idea for her to apply but she may not attend the interview because she "had no idea it was so busy".

The temp responded that he had a degree in criminology and "wanted to write reports"

The male who works in pensions admin said that his father, who works for the firm, wanted him to apply.

One female said she had just left uni with a degree in psychology but she doesn't like people so "Daddy told me to apply for the job"

Another female said she had recently left uni with a media degree and "Daddy arranged the interview for me"

The outsider said she had worked in police investigation for twelve years, had gone to work for xxxxx for a year, found the work unfulfilling so had taken time off to get a Prince2 Practitioner qualification and would like to return to investigation.

None of the above is gossip.

Thank you for your response.

[Guest]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

This is a public private company, 49% government owned.

Actually you have raised a valid point - this is such a specialist area of work that there may indeed have been few applicants.

Thank you for your comments

[Guest]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

Good points.

Thank you.

[Guest]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

The outsider did not get the job. She believes there was unfair discrimination against her as the outsider and that the intention was always to appoint a relation of someone within the firm. Indeed, she was asked at interview "How did you find out about the job"?

[warwick65]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

I think its a fair question to ask, how did you find out about the job.

[Crazy council]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

hi

This is a public private company, 49% government owned.

Is this a pubic body spin off, there are rules if so. Some spin off's still come under the pubic rules. ( police and council admin spin offs ). not so much if its a building/regen spin off.

[Guest]

Re: Nepotism and job interviews

The job was advertised on the firm's website.

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