Invited for job interview and noticed that job re-advertised already. Any advice or tips or potential to negotiate?

[Oneeva]

I work in a niche area with shortage of qualified professionals with wide range of skills. I’m reasonably happy in my current job, as I have choice if/when to wfh or go into office. I work in a smallish team, but do most of the heavy lifting as most others in team are new or unqualified. My manager relies heavily on me, which I don’t mind too much because there aren’t many work pressures. Commuting time is less than 30 minutes.

I saw a job advertised where I’d do basically the same job, with more responsibility. Maximum pay is about £10k more than my current salary. Option to wfh or office, but as manager post, expectation would be for weekly in-person team meetings, which is fine. Commuting time is about an hour. However, there is a key element of the job that I have no experience in. It’s not one of the day-to-day work, but will need critical analysis to minimise risk and can be acquired through training, shadowing, observation etc.

So, I applied and received an invitation to interview on Tuesday, including request to confirm attendance by Monday lunchtime. I’ve not yet confirmed. I noticed yesterday that the same job has been re-advertised with Monday as the deadline.

DH thinks the company has probably already decided that I’m not what they’re looking for - as I don’t have experience in a key area - otherwise would not have re-advertised. I (would like to) think that they are mindful that I’ve not yet accepted the invitation to interview and will give me a fair shot.

Is this unusual?

Do you think the company hasn’t received many applicants and capitalising on opportunity for more applicants?

If I’m successful, I’d want to negotiate the salary - I’m wondering what might be fair? (I did call for an informal chat before I applied, and the Director indicated that the salary range isn’t fixed) Despite my skill gap, I don’t want to undersell myself.

I’d really welcome any insight, tips or suggestions please? Thank you.

I always wonder - what would a man do? I doubt he’d be dwelling on a ‘skill gap’! All you can do is turn up to interview, think of ways the experience you do have shows you’d be capable of managing new skill, and hope for the best.

I have had many experiences of odd advert pulling and pushing, and I can’t truly say I’ve ever got to the bottom of any of them, even when I have been appointed. It could be a mistake by HR. It could be that you were only applicant and they want more choice but didn’t want to lose you. It could be any number of things, you won’t know so try not to worry.

I'm self employed but I know that at DH's place they'll keep interviewing even after they've offered someone a position because that person might stil turn it down, so they need back ups.

I wouldn't give it much thought tbh.

You haven't even accepted their offer of an interview and you're annoyed they've re-advertised? Come on.

You're an interesting candidate who hasn't accepted the interview. They might think you have changed your mind. You both might not have the right chemistry in the interview. They might think the experience / skills gap is do-able once they've interviewed you. Or they might think it's not. There are so many variables to recruiting the right candidate. Looking at the CV is about 5-10% of the process IME.

If you don't mind me saying so you've leapt way ahead to negotiating a salary (which is already £10k more than you're on). Chill out. Accept the interview.

If you haven't accepted the interview then of course they're going to readvertise. If you are interested then go for it!

Most people accept the interview quite swiftly so I imagine it's more that they are assuming you aren't interested? Or that there is a risk of that?.

Or that they have more than one post to fill?

I think it's a leap to assume they don't want you. I would however assume that they had very few applicants. The more applicants they get the more likely it is they can fill the post. Be the person they want in that post!

Why have you sat on the interview invite for most of the working week?

Thanks for all replies. I’m definitely not annoyed about the re-advert, but trying to work through the rationale in my head. I am chilled out.

I do intend to accept and attend the interview, but DH thinks I shouldn’t both and interprets the situation differently.

From experience, not unusual for salary discussions to be discussed at interview, which is why I’m thinking about potential negotiations.

Very interesting to hear of posts being re-advertised, as I’ve not come across that before.

in my work we’d ideally want to interview a good field, even if we had a strong candidate. It often costs quite a lot to interview, in time and money, so we wouldn’t want to keep repeating the process if (as happens) candidates don’t turn up or change their mind. A strong field means we can be more confident in our first choice and also gives a pool of back-ups. The fact they’ve re advertised does not mean they aren’t interested in you!

I will accept and attend the interview. I wasn’t actively looking when I saw the post advertised, it was more of a “ooh, an opportunity to move up in terms of salary and responsibility, so I’ll give it a go and see what happens” kind of thing.

I just wanted to be sure in my own head that I’ll definitely accept if offered the job. It’s common for existing employer to tempt people with higher salaries to get them to say. I wouldn’t want to do that because I feel it’s unfair and very frustrating for a prospective employer to find out at the 11th hour that the expected new recruit won’t be starting after all.

I’ve been thinking about moving on and need to square a few things in my head.

I've hired recently and if you need to get someone in post you need to have a stream of candidates lined up until you have a name signed on the dotted line.
If your first advert gets twenty applications and you call five promising candidates in for interviews and the first four are no good (or pull out of the process) then no matter how good candidate 5 (you) looks on paper you need to get some more cvs in so that if candidate 5 isn't a goer you don't have to start again from scratch.

And that goes double if candidate 5 hasn't even accepted the interview yet, after four days. I definitely wouldn't pin my hopes on you, I'd be getting plan B ready.

I wouldn't worry about the job continuing to be advertised, they will probably continue to advertise until you accept (because it would be foolish to call of the hunt before then). I would be more concerned about whether £10k is worth moving for - all will depend on what percentage of your pay that is and/or if it would be a good stepping stone to further career progression. However, £10k may not be much of a monthly increase post-tax when compared to the loss of continuity of employment, fact that you will need to go into the office once a month (both cost of commute and value of your time) etc. I would also try to negotiate a rise where you currently are.

I doubt it's anything to do with your application.They wouldn't be interviewing you if you thought you weren't suitable.
I guess they haven't had many applications and they want to attract a wide field so they have advertised it again in case some people didn't see it first time around.
Just prepare as you were normally and think of ways in which you are suitable, the skills you already have and how you want a challenge can pick up new skills etc

DH doesn't want you to even try to get the job.

Thank you also for the additional replies. I definitely understand and agree with all.

I do also doubt whether £10k is enough to move for, but definitely no opportunity for a higher salary in my current job. I think I do need to have in mind a minimum salary for a new post - and I definitely wouldn’t do post-hopping, which can and does happen.

If it is really a niche then it is completely normal.

i work in a niche telecoms area approximately 50 percent of candidates verbally accept job after a few weeks end up staying where they are (presumably with a salary uplift) so we never stop advertising almost till the person starts

They probably didn’t get many people apply so just want to maximise the candidates applying.

Accept the interview go along and see what happens.