Coworkers spend 6 weeks competing for management position, company hires external candidate instead: 'We're trying to recalibrate'

Should a company interview internally and externally at the same time?

Technically speaking, there is nothing wrong with this practice in most industries. If professional success really is meritocracy, then it makes sense that they want to heighten their chances of finding the candidate who is the best fit for the role. That is not always going to come from the employees who already work there.

Still, it is frustrating to have the opportunity of career progression dangled in front of you, only for it to be snatched away by a person who hasn't even been tried and tested yet. A company that retains employees and reports a high level of job satisfaction is usually the kind to nurture and reward the talents of those whom they have already hired, not ignore them in favor of something shiny and new. This is part of what makes the hiring process a temperamental practice. It can destabilize the workplace dynamic.

When a potential promotion turns into the disappointment of adjusting to a new manager, there are two ways to go about things. Either you try to make it work with what you have, or you start to look for a job elsewhere. The likelihood is that you will not be seeing much professional progress if you stay where you are.