To All the Hold-Poolers,
Hang in there guys and stay strong; I know a round of expirations is imminent.
Frustration does not even come close to explaining it I know, but trust me, persevere with it. Re-apply if you need to, suck up the hold pool again (and again, and again...). Work out some way of steadying your nerve at each stage. If it is what you want, you will get there.
It is acknowledged as a ridiculous system from pretty much every department except HR, who appear to be the controlling element.
The reward does out weigh the pain, however, if an equally good job offer comes along in the meantime and you NEED to get out of where you are: take it. I would probably take a definite over a maybe. The BA process has a habit of opening up reasonably regularly; the others may not.
I have been where you guys are now (more than once). The hardest bit was not the hold pool; the hardest bit was during a re-application when mates who previously passed, failed. That was tough.
Good luck and really hope it all pans out.