Yet, aside from assuming employers are doing this to be jerks, I decided to search online for an answer.
I found 5 reasons employers repost that makes the most sense to me.
1) There are multiple openings for the same position.
I think this is reasonable. The company I work for regularly hires for this entry level position and over the last 6 months, they’ve had a lot of people leave, and so that means they’ve hired multiple people to replace the ones who left. The job gets reposted, because there are multiple positions (the fact that one person left inside of two months is an entirely different story).
Source: http://www.askamanager.org/2010/08/what-does-it-mean-that-job-i.html
2) They want to keep the candidate pool open and active until the job offer is accepted.
I like the idea of this, although it does put a bit of a Pollyanna spin to the whole idea of job searching and applying. Somehow I wonder how picky do they think job seekers are these days that they worry one or several people may decline the position offered.
Source: http://www.prepary.com/what-does-it-mean-if-a-job-is-reposted-while-im-interviewing/
3) An overly obsessive perfectionist hiring manager who wants Mr. or Mrs. Perfect Job Applicant.
I think this makes the most sense to me. Unless you fit the ideal image of what they are seeking, you may see the job you are interviewing for get reposted until they find just the right one. I think this is a sign of a bad boss and one that is never satisfied.
4) The person they hired didn’t like the job.
I remember I walked off a job that I had for just one week. When I ended my first week in tears, I knew it wasn’t the right fit. So, I am sure the job ad got reposted in no time flat. Which means someone out there saw that repost. Hopefully they re-applied and it worked out for them better than it did for me.
So, if you have applied to something and a month later you see it posted again, you can probably assume that someone out there didn’t like the job.
Source: http://www.cluewagon.com/2009/08/5-reasons-the-employer-re-posted-the-ad/
5) The required number of candidates haven’t applied to the position.
For companies that are a touch on the massive side or ones that have strict guidelines and rules about job postings, I could see this being a likely reason that a job gets reposted. If they don’t have enough people moving onto the next stage, they may repost to see if they can increase the pool of possible applicants to satisfy HR expectations.
Source: http://www.askamanager.org/2010/08/what-does-it-mean-that-job-i.html
6) Bonus Conspiracy Theory: The repost isn’t the employer at all, but a sneaky job candidate hoping to see what their competition is like.
I spotted this horrible “tip” once when I was looking for job search tips. A site recommended you post a job online similar to the job you are looking to find and see who replies.
For these reposts, especially when they are just one week within the post date (and most especially on sites like craigslist), I wonder if someone out there, just copies verbatim what the other job ad was (maybe that real one you applied to) and reposts to see what the competition is like (and even reduce the pool of applicants to the real ad).
Obviously, this is why I described this as my conspiracy theory, but I think there may be a little truth to this.
Bottom line is that as the job market gets worse, job searching will become more like the Hunger Games.
Reasons #3 is very common. Employers often look for a “specialist”, which is one employee holding the responsibilities of what used to be several employees. Ironically, someone like this should be called a “generalist” rather than a “specialist.” It may save operating expense, but the quality of work suffers.
You forgot #7: They already have someone selected, but because of their interpretation employment law or company policy believe that they need to “go through the motions” anyway and waste applicants’ time.
ARGH – yes that’s exactly right.
ARGH – yes no kidding!!
True i agreed
Today I saw a reposting for a job I interviewed for almost two weeks ago. I had a phone interview and then went in and spent a few hours talking to a bunch of people. The hiring person said they’d call me in a week, which didn’t happen. He also expressed his disappointment that so many people who applied hadn’t followed the directions for the cover letter.
So I wasn’t too surprised to see the job reposted (on Craigslist, so after it ran for 30 days already, I assume it will now run for another 30 days). None of those 3 things (the expressed disappointment about applicants’ failure to follow directions, the failure to get back to me within a week as promised, and the reposting without even the courtesy of an email saying something like “we need more candidates) makes me think that the company would be a good place to work.
The reposts are annoying. I had an interview a couple of years ago where the manager was such a jerk he made me cry (I kept my chin up until I got to my car, thank god!). The HR lady who did the initial phone interview was visibly embarrassed by his behavior. I didn’t get the job. I still see it posted every few months and my interview was in 2012.
What’s really getting to me are all the interviews I have been on where it’s blatantly obvious they have no intention of hiring me. The worst is when they’re contrary buttholes (acting like every well-thought and well-spoken answer you give them is stupid), or, like the interview I had a couple of weeks ago, though I was a good fit I could tell by the interviewer’s lack of questions and some of his word choices (when he handed me the company packet he said “Oh, um, they wanted me to give you this stuff.”) that he had already picked someone else. He also eluded to the fact that I was competing against two internal applicants, which usually means you’re screwed. Don’t get me wrong, at least he wasn’t a jerk, but still.
Oh, and I naver, ever get contacted by the comany if they didn’t pick me. No email, no phone call. Ever.
Don’t asume a job reposting is always bad news. I’ll tell you my story:
Some years ago I applied for a job. I presented a test, and I thought I did well. Then, 3 days after, I saw the same job posted in my university board (April 17th was the date, just after I took the test). It was heart-breaking. Some weeks passed, and I got a job offer from another company. I accepted the job , and then the “re-posted ad” company called me to offer their job. But, I had already accepted the other company, I told them. Then the lady got a little angry and said :”You were the only candidate”, “Do you know someone who can make this job?”………………………..
I get soo frustrated when I go through the “rounds” I literally feel used because the company is trying to fill their quota as required by the State law to interview so many candidates to be “fair” and they either already know who they want or are just interviewing me to fill their State quota of interviewing so many candidates. The employers don’t realize, if they already know who they want to hire or want the “perfect candidate” even though I know I am perfectly qualified, that they are not only wasting my time, but I pay for gas to get to that interview, I pay for good clothes to look good at this interview when in all actuality, they never intended to hire me in the first place. If that’s the case why waste my time. Its disheartening to know that you never stood a chance even though you qualify for that job.
Absolutely!! I’ve had my share of that lately, and it’s exhausting.