Great, thanks everyone.

Should I keep up with the recruiter or should I wait to be contacted by the recruiters from the other divisions? Don't want to seem pushy but want them to know I am still interested.

It happened to DH at Amazon. Rejected for the initial job, but HR recruiter told him he'd be considered for others. He interviewed for two more positions and was finally hired for the last one. Took 5 months from the first application.

Yes, I interviewed for a case manager position and then later was hired for a another position,but I think I applied and interviewed for that spot separately. Then when the case manager they hired hadn't worked out, they moved me into her spot (which actually I didn't really want anymore since I really loved the other position I had been hired into!)

Yes. I Interviewed for a job in a group and they hired someone else. They passed my résumé on to a different group that was a better fit and they hired me.

We interview people all the time and decide they're great candidates and a good fit for our company but not right for the current position. We'll call them back and say not this time, but will keep you in mind for other opportunities...and we do.

So its been 2 days since the recruiter told me another division had taken an interest in me. I know that is a really short time, but I am so antsy about it and dont want them to forget me!

Yes. I interviewed at a firm and during the interview we both realized I would not be a good fit for the position. A few months later they called to ask if I could do a different position, which I was actually a little overqualified for, but I accepted and right away they began giving me little tasks related to that first job, and I realized it was a way of training me for it.

Yep, has happened to me twice. The second time, I was offered the job and was able to accept without a second interview. The cool part was the position I accepted paid more. The other time, I received a call about 2 months later to interview for a second position (DOJ). By then, I had a new position already.

I honestly thought that each hiring manager was just being nice, but they delivered.

We do this all the time. You interview for a heavy quant role, dont quite make the cut, and we bring you in in a similar but slightly less analytical roll.

Yup. I was turned down for a position with a well-known internet company, but they called six months later to ask me to apply for another position. I already had a new job so I turned them down.

I interviewed for 3 positions at my current employer before I got the job I currently have. But they were all in different departments of the company. Here it is actually encouraged (I was encouraged to do that during my interviews, eg "we don't think you are a fit here but try department X").

if it happens, you'll know, but I would not hold my breath

usually it happens if you're a fit for a hard-to-fill position like analysis or IT. doesn't usually happen for more liberal arts and qualitative positions.

I applied for several positions at a consulting firm. Had an interview for one position but didnt get it. They said they'd pass my resume around to see if any of the other divisions are interested. Is this something that might actually happen? Or once you are rejected, you are unlikely to find something else at the same company?