Recently I applied for a position at my employer working with a different population. I really wanted the job and knew I had the support of my mentor and another coworker, both of whom were on the interview team. I interviewed well, have experience with the population, have personal experience with the type of health crisis they face, and can show that I am active in continuing my education through involvement in optional classes and working toward my licensure. The other person interviewing had none of these qualities. But she got the job.
My boss tried to downplay it but when I asked my mentor she said that it came down to my availability. Our department hours are 8 to 4:30, which is what I work. We are free to adjust those hours to a later start and end time if we wish. The interview team works a 9:30 to 6 schedule and wanted someone to work the same. Even though those are optional hours. And I just can't work those hours when I have two kids at two different schools who have to be picked up by 6 pm. And a husband who is not available to allow me flexibility. The curse of living the dream strikes again.
My mentor also told me that she asked what would have happened if they had had two exactly equal candidates ( meaning I could work late hours) and she was told that they would hire the person who had been there longer because she had put in her time. So now I feel the irritation that all First Officers must feel when they fly with crappy Captains who have the position just because they got hired first. We have all heard stories of having to fly with them.
My lesson learned here are that even in the real world sometime seniority counts over qualifications ( for some reason I thought it didn't- at least when it didn't suit me).
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