Job offer. Is this legit?

[CatInTheSplat]

Currently almost 5 years post-PhD, and despite numerous postdoc applications and around 30 job interviews, I never secured any academic work, so am back in min wage admin instead. Last week, though, I received an email from a prof who conducted three of these unsuccesful interviews, telling me that he needs a research associate for a project specifically within my field (engineering/ life sciences), and that he'd like to set up a meeting with me and his HR officer to discuss T&Cs. Given all equalities regs and the fact that my field has moved on so rapidly since my PhD, can they really seriously legitimately offer me a job like this? Or are they instead wanting me to apply to them and humiliate myself in failure for a fourth time?

We used to ask candidates if we could keep their details on file and yes we would potentially go back to them if it was a reasonable time later - reasonable was relative to the post as some were much harder to recruit to than others. It saves advertising cost particularly if you a niche job to advertise and likely to be the same applicants. We’d go to the next person in the field. Bear in mind that advertising in the journals can make recruitment costs be into the thousands of £s. I wasn’t in academia but still a public funded role. If HR are going to be there they must be happy for the chat to go ahead. Effectively do treat it like you are re interviewing - they clearly want you though so remember interviews are meant to be a two way thing. Good Luck!

I can imagine you feel a bit dubious, but I honestly would rather go with someone that impressed me at previous interviews but didn't quite get it, but seems like they have the right qualities. My husband interviewed twice at the same place and both times came second, he was gutted and felt quite rejected, they did come back to him though after that although he was working elsewhere by then.

You haven't got anything to lose by going in at this stage, there may have been internal/other candidates, but you fit this one. Go in and sit down and treat it like an interview. Crossed fingers for you on this one!

So how, then, do I approach this "interview"? What do I say about my knowledge, skills, techniques, methods being so out-of-date? This is a STEM field within which this is inevitable, and within which practical experience (that I dont have) is the only real antidote to becoming deskilled. Given that they must know that, why would they even want me?

I'm guessing they would want to train you up a bit?

I don't have all the answers, but I don't see how going in would hurt at this stage of the game.

We do genuinely keep previous applicants' details and would consider them for new roles even if they'd not been appropriate for others. I think it sounds legit.

In terms of deskilling I think you have to be honest without underselling yourself. You have nothing to lose. Good luck!

If you are still concerned that it’s not legit why don’t you ring the HR department for clarification about the process? You’ve had lots of knock backs so being headhunted must feel weird but this potentially a door opening for you. I’d run at it and work the rest out at the interview personally. If you are really concerned perhaps you could email back - enthusiastically but highlighting that you have been out of the field so will need x, y to get up to speed. If it puts then off then okay you haven’t wasted a day off going to interview but I’d personally say try and have that conversation face-to-face.... emails can sound negative without even trying and you sound it in your posts already. This could be your career moment... go for it!

there is no reason a prof would contact you like this if there isn't a job available. the prof is not running an MLM or some scam.

maybe someone else dropped out of the job at short notice? Or they have some funding that has to be spent on salary NOW and have no time to advertise.

if this prof has interviewed you 3 times before, he/she must be very familiar with your CV and impressed with your work.

So go for it and don't undersell yourself.

the prof is not running an MLM or some scam

I used to work in a university (stem dept actually) and my role was to oversee all HR and research grants. It's been a few years and things might have changed but these are my thoughts.

Is this a for a project that has already commenced or one that in pre application stage?

If pre application you can name a researcher on a grant due to the skills they would bring to the project and not have to go through the usual recruitment processes.

If the project is already in progress but only has a limited amount of time left, so long as HR agree you can forgo the usual recruitment processes on the basis that you might otherwise not be able to complete the project. Recruitment can take a while - getting it approved etc 2 weeks / advertising 1 month / interviews another month to allow for papers to be written / then possible notice period and maybe even visas. Overall you could be looking at 3 months minimum but likely 4 or 5 months. If the prof needs someone to start quickly and you had the skills in the past then you be a good option.

Further to that in my old dept our academics had a academic talent group where academics discussed key people who they wanted to bring into the department and would actively approach then when the right post became available - this more commonly was to highlight specific roles to them for application.

In terms of your worries about your skills just be honest but make your lack of experience a minor mention and show your enthusiasm and willingness to learn and hit the ground running. Have you been doing anything? Reading journals, writing anything, attending conferences? Anything that you have done is worth a mention. Make sure you read up on any current material and his last few papers. Get up to speed with what's going on in the department too. Follow on facebook/twitter to get a feel.

By all means give HR a call to find out a bit more but I think you should to for it. Sounds like your way in and you have nothing to loose.

• go for it.

Apologies about typos. Been up all night with baby and neither brain nor hands are working!

With us, if it is a post for under 6 months, we don't need to interview, is it that? and if so, is it worth it?