Manager thinks I'm not qualified enough to apply for a managers position

[Workquestion11]

So here's the situation
I started a new job end of April
There was an assistant manager and a general manager

Assistant Manager did not pass probation. I let the GM know I was very interested in stepping up.
Someone else within the team phoned the area manager and said they wanted the job (after hearing me speak with the area manager about how keen I was, might be slightly bitter but anyway)

General manager gets dismissed after something from her past passed up so Assistant manager is now acting as GM.

After 4 weeks of recruiting, they've not had 1 single applicant.
So I messaged acting GM today (as advised on the internal recruitment page)
(I have 5 years management experience, always shown up for my shifts, stayed later when needed, I've been left by myself for most of the day, hitting targets etc etc)
And came back with "I feel this role requires someone with more experience"

Is it worth trying to convince her I'm a good fit or just leave it be? They are getting desperate as they are having to locate staff from other places so she can get a day off, I just feel like acting GM does not want me in a professional role in the work place at all 😅 but I've got the previous experience and we've all got to start somewhere right?

You can respectfully disagree with her. I'd respond outlining your past experience and some suggestions for how youd handle this role - and can you apply anyway? Have a bit of tenacity!

Suggest to her that they might like to give you a trial?
If not, I think I’d seriously consider polishing up my CV and when it suits you, moving on.
I hope it works out ok for you. It must be very demotivating. Good luck.

Is there a JD and person spec for the role? Do you meet the criteria? If they try to recruit again surely they can't stop you applying.

2 years management experience is the only requirement

The job description just talks about a day in the life of our work place, nothing specific

I did already put in an application as the link to apply took me to an internal application Form

I dunno I just get the feeling that this person doesn't want me in any professional position. She herself was not a manager when she started and I fully believe she went for the assistant managers position because she'd over heard me talking about it

Unfortunately it does sound like she's deliberately trying to scupper you. She sounds awful cos no decent manager would tell you they didn't think you had the experience out right like that and try and put you off. Certainly not in my work anyway.

Could you bypass the person and just apply for the role anyway?

That's definitely what it feels like
And you think after four weeks not one person has applied, you'd surely appreciate that one of the team wants to and is able to step up
Other people that I've worked alongside have all said they are extremely impressed with my confidence, my ability to just come in and get on with the job (I don't need guided for things, unlike my younger colleagues who have walked in to their first job)
Just the blanket 'I feel the role needs someone with more experience' when the advert states 2 years min
They could wait another month, two months for someone to apply (because sadly it is the type of managers job where they are only getting about 40p over min wage) so I don't think they'll have a q out of the door

To put it bluntly OP it is very obvious that they don’t want you. They are supposedly desperate but still don’t want toys. I’d be looking for a new job elsewhere, you have no career prospects there.

Is it because they themselves don't have enough experience for the role so we're hoping to rely on a more experienced person bolstering them up?

Could well be but she seems to be doing okay as a manager
If I was new to the place I'd never imagine she'd only been doing that job for 5 weeks

I genuinely get the feeling she's just not a fan of me for whatever reason

I've just had an email, I was rejected for the job

Sounds similar to my place. If they want you they want you and if your face doesnt fit youre stuffed. Doesn't sound like they do want you and can be for any silly reason. I'd still put my hat in the ring but don't expect it to go much further. I'd keep an eye on who does get it though.

Sorry op just seen your response after I posted my 1st reply. Hope you're OK. I know how that feels

If you've only been in the job since April, perhaps they still view you as new and inexperienced, despite your previous experience.

Then leave because it doesn’t look like you’ll have any progression there. I’m very sorry OP.

Could you point out you have more experience than is required and suggest a weeks trial?

It's just so frustrating
I have the experience but no way to show it, they don't want me to do a trial shift either.
They still haven't had one single person apply

I don't want to leave because they are short staffed (two people just got dismissed for failing probation) but I definitely feel there is no progression. Tbh I feel like a complete outsider in my work place. I don't feel like I belong

I don’t understand how you can’t be shortlisted when you meet the minimum requirements. I mean it doesn’t sound like a nice rewarding place to work tbh so you may be well out of it but that sounds crap

I'd just head down do the best you can at your current role. They'll struggle to recruit, and you can just do well at what you do do and watch them struggle.

If and when they come round with their tail between their legs you can decide whether to apply again or stand your ground.

I think this says a fair bit about the place, though, so I'd just start a gentle job hunt for somewhere that's keen on progression.

Definitely apply for other jobs - why should you feel loyalty and responsibility for their staffing issues when they do not appear to value you?

I really wouldn't bother bailing them out, invest the energy in yourself - they have already shown clearly they aren't going to.

I wonder if you're just too convenient and effective on the ground level, so you being there makes any managers life easier as the work is being taken care of without any manager in post, they may keep it vacant and then cut the post, saving the money.

Why are you being so loyal to them when they are not showing any faith in you?

Don’t stagnate your career out of a misplaced sense of duty to a company that doesn’t recognise your potential.

Be like the proverbial duck. Serenely appear to have reconciled to the situation whilst looking for jobs like mad elsewhere. If something comes up you can move and if it doesn’t you’ve not caused issues where you are.

Something similar happened to me a few years ago. My advice is find another job that actually values you. You're on a hiding to nothing at this place and you're best jumping ship before you've been there too long so you can still use your last employer as a reference and just scrub this job from your employment history.

Sounds like you're only around 8 weeks into the current role?
Not sure of any policy but in my company we aren't able to apply for a promotion until we've been in the job 6 months and have passed our probation.

Yes I agree. It's a bit early to decide that there's no progession