Line manager & I have a job interview for the same role

[rainbowcakes]

Please knock some sense into me!

I applied for an internal role that is a couple of jumps above what i am now. It specified a certain qualification (which i have), plus i do have some experience, so thought it was worth a punt. Have an interview for said job tomorrow.

Have been prepping this weekend. Looked at my work calendar earlier & saw that my line manager has an interview for the same role later in the week! Which is absolutely fine, neither of us would know the other was applying. And if i didnt get it then I would genuinely be thrilled if he did. But for some reason it has really thrown me & knocked my confidence for the interview tomorrow!

I keep saying to myself, so what if he has an interview too? We've both been offered an interview, so the interviewers must have seen something in both of us they liked. I just cant shake off this feeling of 'whats the point now' (obviously he has more experience) and its distracting me from preparing!

Please give me a shake or some words of wisdom

[IdblowJonSnow]

Does your line manager have the same qualification as you?
No advice really, but absolutely go for it OP. Im sure you have much to offer, they already know what your experience is and they want to interview you.
Good luck! Please update!

[partyatthepalace]

As you say, they saw something in you they liked.

Do not let this make you feel less confident, they are looking forward future potential, not current job descriptions.

Think about all the potential you have - you don’t want that to go to waste - give it your life, and be your most confident self

[ScrapThatThen]

What you have to do is - I know this sounds awful - think what their bad points are (they probably have some) and how you trump them. Then big up those points about yourself as well as whatever else you wanted to say. It's good to look ambitious and good to practice applying and having an interview. It's a win win for you but don't talk yourself down, talk yourself into this job or the next one. Good luck

[IWentAwayIStayedAway]

Just because someone has the experience it doesnt mean they interview well. Take the person spec and JD and come up with good examples to show your experience. Use the STAR layout ie situation, task, action and result. Use it every time no theory answrrs about what you would do but solid answrrs around how you have done that. Good luck

[Galliano]

Unbelievable lax that internal job interviews aren’t set up as private events in calendars too! At least you can really think about your specific examples and hopefully eradicate any where it might come across that you were in a team that did x and lm led a team that did x.

[amusedbush]

You never know what the panel is thinking. Maybe they’ll think that your manager will use the job as a stepping stone, while you have more scope to learn and develop the role as it’s a bigger jump for you.

Don’t let it knock your confidence. They’ve invited you because you’re qualified so prep as if you didn’t know this information and knock their socks off at interview!

[SomethingWycked]

Absolutely what IWentAwayIStayedAway said - think up specifical examples in STAR format to demonstrate your experience (things like prioritising workload, work as a team/individually, making difficult decisions etc).

I interviewed in local government for a secondment last year. I work part time & there were 2 who did similar work to the secondment also interviewing. I got the advice on here, did it & got the job ahead of one of the others (2 posts) - its now a permanent job with more hours so preparing with examples does work.

The very best of luck to you.

[Coffeeallday]

I’m a manager and I don’t know but I love an underdog. Experience means a lot but often I’ve chosen the person without experience, or with less experience because they’ve just ‘wanted’ it more in the interview. That’s just how it’s happened with people I’ve interviewed.

Believe me to be selected for an interview means they see you as equal. Give yourself a talking to because if you don’t think you’re the best person for the job then they won’t. You have to be very confident, just smile loads and be relaxed yet focused as possible. Come across as though you already ‘fit in’ to the office. Good luck

[Schoolchoicesucks]

This happened to a friend of mine (teacher). Her senior knew she had applied and laughed at her for applying. She got the role over him.

If you have the potential to do the role well, you deserve to get it.

Good luck OP.

[rainbowcakes]

Thank you so much everyone for your advice, you've made me feel a lot better. So glad i posted now!

I dont even really mind if i dont get the job as i think i may be out of my depth, but im going to act as confident as i can just finding out he had applied too just totally threw me & i needed to snap out of it!

Not sure if he knows i applied/have an interview too. I marked the calendar appointment as private as soon as I received it. He has not

I do get on brilliantly with him, and i know whatever the outcome we will have a good laugh about it afterwards!

Will of course provide an update but most likely wont find out until the end of the week

[bootlebum]

I have both done this, and interviewed someone in your position. Honestly? You are on your own career track, if you are talented and a good fit you've got a great chance and it's brilliant that you have gone for it! Always good to show ambition in my opinion.

[CattyCactus]

You need to go back to your first thought of ‘so what.’
They’ve shortlisted you based on your CV / application, so there’s obviously something they like.
As PPs have said review the job spec and come up with some STAR examples based on your experience. And think of some questions for them too.
Then go and smash it!!

[MacDuffsMuff]

OP this happened to me and I was convinced I was wasting my time. I got the job. Don't sell yourself short.

[Kolo]

There's not many situations where applying for an internal promotion is bad and there's a lot more to be gained from giving a shit hot interview than being offered the job.

Chances are you don't know what 'they' want from this role, so being asked to interview shows they think you might have what they want.
But, even if you don't get the job because you're a little inexperienced at the moment, there's loads to gain from letting the bosses know that you're interested in progressing. By giving a great interview now, you'll be in their minds when it comes to planning in the future; when future roles come up, training opportunities, new roles.

[ForTheLoveOfWine]

I see this as win win
You get the job win
They get the job - you can apply for their job win


As others have said tho you got the interview show them how amazing you are!!

[Incrediblytired]

I did this once and got the job. Don’t think of it as competition, think of it as your chance to shine!

[rainbowcakes]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I think the interview went really well, they were lovely.

They started by talking about the role & department which was a nice way to ease into it & calmed my nerves.

They are interviewing a few more people and they will decide on Wednesday who will go on to stage 2 of the interview process. Im now at the 'beating myself up about things i did & didn't say' stage

I wrote down a few positive words from this thread & kept them to hand throughout and they really helped!

I will update with the outcome!

[NooneElseIsSingingMySong]

I had this. For my manager it was a side step, for me it was a big promotion. I never imagined I’d get the job. I was really thinking about the future, threw my hat in the ring to let senior management know I might have potential in the future..I worked hard on interview prep because I knew it would be intense, just did my best. It seems I really impressed them..I got the job! Honestly, I got the call and was steeling myself for the “Sorry you’re weren’t successful” so when she said “We were really impressed, we’d like to offer you the job” I genuinely said “REALLY?” down the phone My manager was very gracious and she moved to a new role soon after. So yeah, go for it!

[Moomoolandmoomooland]

Well done OP. Fingers crossed for you.

I have successfully got jobs ahead of people who have actually been doing the same job already. Sometimes people can be complacent. There is also a shit tonne of politics and personality clashes in the public sector

[amusedbush]

@NooneElseIsSingingMySong

I had this. For my manager it was a side step, for me it was a big promotion. I never imagined I’d get the job. I was really thinking about the future, threw my hat in the ring to let senior management know I might have potential in the future..I worked hard on interview prep because I knew it would be intense, just did my best. It seems I really impressed them..I got the job! Honestly, I got the call and was steeling myself for the “Sorry you’re weren’t successful” so when she said “We were really impressed, we’d like to offer you the job” I genuinely said “REALLY?” down the phone My manager was very gracious and she moved to a new role soon after. So yeah, go for it!

I did the same when I passed my driving test

I thought I’d done something to balls it up on the drive back to the test centre so when he said I’d passed I said, ‘REALLY?? Thanks!’

[rainbowcakes]

@amusedbush i did the exact same thing with my final driving test! After failing 4 times

Now for the waiting game!!!

[NooneElseIsSingingMySong]

amusedbush I did that one my driving test too I thought I’d done a major fault early on. Ironically that made me relax because I thought I’d already failed and the pressure was off, I probably drove better after that!

[rainbowcakes]

Update - didnt get through to second interview i was just pipped to the post, like i always seem to be! Couple of other people with more experience. But the feedback was brilliant- said i interviewed really well & it was a really difficult decision. He said that he would consider me if anything suitable came up in future.

Feeling so so disappointed. This job was just perfect to get more experience in my field. Trying not to be upset but its so hard, even with great feedback.

Ps - my team leader has made it to round 2!

[Arboria]

@rainbowcakes

Update - didnt get through to second interview i was just pipped to the post, like i always seem to be! Couple of other people with more experience. But the feedback was brilliant- said i interviewed really well & it was a really difficult decision. He said that he would consider me if anything suitable came up in future.

Feeling so so disappointed. This job was just perfect to get more experience in my field. Trying not to be upset but its so hard, even with great feedback.

Ps - my team leader has made it to round 2!

Sounds like you might be able to apply for the team leader role soon, would that be any good?!

[rainbowcakes]

@Arboria unfortunately not. I'm not actually very experienced in my current role and feel very out of my depth, and to be honest i need a lot of hand holding. I am also just starting to work on a big project alongside my current role, so there js no way they will want to pull me of it. But even if it weren't for that project, I wouldn't apply for it because i have no idea what im doing!