Lumen Job Ad Names Preferred Hire, Sparking Hiring Transparency Debate

A LinkedIn job posting for a Senior Lead Finance Analyst position at Lumen Technologies went viral after a job seeker noticed the advertisement appeared to identify a pre-selected internal candidate. The listing, which was shared publicly, contained the line: "The Role: Notice of Job Opportunity – Richard Evans is being recommended for the role of Sr Lead Finance Analyst 342273."

The discovery led to widespread criticism on Reddit and other social media platforms, with many users accusing the company of wasting external applicants' time. The job poster, who shared a screenshot of the listing, wrote: "Congrats Richard Evans, on landing the Sr Lead Fin Analyst at Lumen! In the future, after they are finished f***ing around with external candidates who won't for a second be considered!"

The Legal and Policy Constraint Behind the Posting

While the incident appeared to confirm long-held suspicions about predetermined hires, several commenters pointed out that public postings are often a legal or contractual requirement–not a signal that the role is genuinely open.

One user explained: "I have to post EVERY job even if it's an internal move, yay government contracting. The government says we have to give qualified candidates a chance to apply. 5 days or 3 applicants that meet the requirements and I close it."

Another commenter echoed the point: "Except it's law the have to have the position open to everyone. They're saying they're meeting the law requirement without saying it."

A third person shared a similar experience from their own workplace: "A lot of companies are legally required to have a job posting under the right circumstances ... At my current place, I'm seeing someone's role posted because they're an immigrant and the law requires the company to post an interview for the position. The boss himself personally said he has no intention of replacing the person."

What This Means for Job Seekers

For external candidates, the practical lesson is direct: a job posting does not guarantee a fair competition. Corporate policies, government contracting rules, and visa sponsorship requirements can all mandate a public listing even when an internal promotion is already approved.

Key insight: A posted job with a named recommended candidate is often a process formality, not an invitation to compete. External applicants should treat job descriptions with internal names as closed to outside hiring.

The Broader Hiring Transparency Problem

This specific incident at Lumen Technologies feeds a wider frustration with corporate recruitment. Many job seekers spend hours tailoring applications and preparing for interviews, only to suspect they were never genuinely considered.

The line in the posting that identified Richard Evans was a rare moment of visible transparency–but it was accidental. Most employers simply conduct interviews with external candidates while knowing the outcome is predetermined.