Some managers are very confident and extremely ambitious but unfortunately don’t have the talent to match. This however does not deter them from repeatedly applying for posts. As an experienced recruiter this presents two problems the first and most obvious is how do you give them feedback/ insight. The second, more damaging to the organisation,  is that over confidence often pays off in securing management posts.

Because they are an internal candidate you invest more in the feedback. Their first attempt fails to get an interview so you go through their application form explaining what was missing and how they could make the most of their experience. They start getting interviews but failed to get a post so you go through each interview question, using your detailed interview notes to remind the individual what they said and what the interview panel were looking for.

One of the issues identified was the candidates narrow experience which was reflected in their limited answers. You suggest they put themselves forward for corporate working groups and seek some project management experience or maybe a short secondment. But they are inpatient and are still applying for posts both inside and outside the organisation. The quality of feedback varies from ,” the successful candidate had more experience”,  to “it was a good interview but the successful candidate was better”. Truth is they are aiming too high.

You suggest a sideways move to broaden their experience and so make them a stronger candidate. The assessment of their line manager reflected in their reference which has been shared with them is that they are not ready for stepping up to the next level and may never be. The individual rejects this assessment. Despite the number of interviews without success they are still convinced that they are more than capable of taking on a senior management role.  Their lack of insight doesn’t prove to be a handicap as few weeks later another organisation offers them a senior post.

Proving once again that interview panels are not good at spotting hungry ghosts often mistaking supreme confidence for ability.