Should I apply for this job or not? Please help me decide! :)

[PamplemousseRouge]

I've just seen an advertisement for an entry-level communications job with a public sector organisation connected to the Civil Service.

I would love to apply for the job, as I would like to work in communications and media, and have been very interested in working in that sector for quite a few years now. I have previous experience in connected areas such as journalism, but not in the field of communications itself.

Although the job is an entry-level position, the thing that's really making me think twice about applying is that I don't currently have all of the relevant experience that applicants are required to have. For example, applicants are required to already have experience of working in a busy communications team, which I don't have. Applicants also need experience of looking at research and data, and to use these to inform any improvements that might need to be made to the service.

The role also asks for applicants to have a good level of understanding of different areas of communication, including digital engagement, evaluation, campaigns and media. Like with much of the experience that I don't have that I've mentioned above, I could demonstrate this requirement in the application, but I don't have any previous professional experience to prove that I have this skill.

This requirement is described as 'essential' in the job specification. As the role involves working in a small team, my understanding is that it would be quite demanding and full-on from the beginning. Therefore, I assume that the ideal candidate would be someone who has previous experience of many (if not all) of the different requirements in the job specification so that they can be trusted to take initiative and to take responsibility rather than needing specific training or guidance when they start the job.

Just to give a bit of background, I'm a modern languages graduate in my mid-twenties from a Russell Group uni. As mentioned above in this post, I'm very interested in media and communications jobs. If anyone remembers, I wrote a thread last November about my decision to leave a teacher training course (I enrolled in the course for a variety of different reasons, but my heart most definitely wasn't in teaching).

I'm now working as a private tutor to pay the bills etc., but my aim is to have a full-time job as soon as possible. I would really love to apply for the communications job that I've mentioned here, but the only thing holding me back is whether I have enough experience to be taken seriously at the applications job (and to perform well in he job itself if my application was successful.)

What does everyone think -should I apply?

Thanks very much, everyone! :)

Apply! What's the worst that can happen?

Apply! What've you got to lose?

There's a scarily high percentage of women who only apply for jobs if they match all the criteria ... I've forgotten the exact amount! Anyway the point is take a risk

Apply and create a portfolio of evidence. And good luck!

Apply (completing the application will be good practice), but be realistic about your chances. If the competency is essential and you can't demonstrate it, you might be sifted out before interview

Research how to write a good competency based application (use the STAR principles), as they are a bit different from other application processes

Apply. I don't know the job market in that particular field, but for an entry level position they can't expect to have many candidates with lots of experience. Even if you don't get the job it's a good experience.

Apply for it but be realistic about your chances- if nothing else it's good practice.

Apply! Civil service comms teams include loads of ex-journos. And 'a good understanding of' isn't the same as professional experience of. Don't focus on what you haven't got. Sounds like you have plenty of relevant insights in a closely related field (what is journalism if not communication and media?!) so focus on what you have got and use their wording to feed it back to them demonstrating your understanding. Trust me, I've worked with lots of those teams. Don't do yourself down and build them up to much in your head. There's nothing to be remotely intimidated by and women so often don't apply as we fixate on the one or two boxes we don't tick, whereas if guys tick a few they tend to think they're in with a good shot. Go for it and big yourself up!

Apply! I'm a comms manager and we love ex-journalists. :)

I know this is a sweeping generalisation but I think women often look for reasons why they can't do something and are often put off applying because they can't hit every single criteria ( even if they hit most of them). Do you think you could do the job? ( its entry level so lots of training I imagine) What's going to happen if you don't get an interview? Are hordes of people going to line the street and point and laugh at you?No. Take heart! Have confidence and apply whole heartedly

Apply - as peach said comms managers love ex-journalists. It's amazing how many people get appointed to jobs that don't meet all the essential criteria - happens all the time.

Thank you so much everyone for all of your advice and encouragement! :) I really appreciate it!

I've now had a proper look at the application form, and there are a couple of other things that I'd be interested to ask your advice on if that's okay. These are both quite difficult questions to answer, as I guess the answers to both are at the discretion of the employer, but I just thought I'd ask you all to hear your thoughts, if you don't mind :)

The application form asks candidates to include all of the jobs that they've done for the last 5 years. I was in some form of education or employment until November 2016 (I finished uni in summer 2015 and then did weekly freelance tutoring work until summer 2016, when I started a teacher training course.)

I then resigned from the teacher training course in November 2016 after having particularly bad depression and anxiety, which then continued for some time after I resigned. I went to see my GP about the depression and anxiety when I was still on the teacher training course. My GP then referred me to counselling, which I started in January this year and am about to complete. Since resigning from the teacher training in November 2016, I didn't start work again until March this year, when I started regular part-time tutoring. This was due to the depression and anxiety that I have previously mentioned. I'm wondering whether the fact that I have a gap in employment from November 2016 to March 2017 would count against me, and whether I could perhaps ask for a supporting note from my GP to explain this gap?

My other question is similar: I didn't complete the teacher training course I started in summer last year, I'm just wondering whether this is likely to count against me? (There is a section on the application form that asks candidates whether they have enrolled on any training courses in the past).

Oh also I'm really sorry about not mentioning this earlier - I really don't mean to drip-feed at all! - in terms of the journalism experience that I mentioned earlier, this has been student journalism (editing and writing roles rfrom 1st year to final year at uni), some freelance work for national publications and regular internships from 1st year of uni onwards rather than constant full-time employment as a journalist with a formal qualification, so I can't call myself an ex-journalist or anything like that. I'm wondering if I should still refer to my experience within journalism, even though I haven't had a regular full-time role as a journalist?

Thanks again everyone!

I know you've decided to apply, but I'm just going to leave this here:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2014/09/11/are-women-too-timid-when-they-job-search/amp/

For those who don't follow links, the key message is 'Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them.'

Do you remember Hilary Devey from Dragons Den?

She did a survey on women in work etc: If you make a list of 10 requirements for a job:

Men will apply if they can do the top three or so.
Women tend to go all the way down the list, find they cannot do item 8, and rule themselves out.

Now, of course there are exceptions - but, even allowing for a bit of artistic licence there could be an element of truth there.

I say apply and see how you get on!

And remember - you don't need to justify your choices in life to anyone - least of all a job interviewer - they are not the confessional.

@Anathema - we must have been thinking the same thing!

You can absolutely use your journalism to 'sell' yourself in communications.

I applied to a job once that said graduates only. At the time, I didn't have a degree but still got it.

You are underselling yourself

Reference your journalism, definitely. Personally I wouldn't even list the teacher training course (I did the same thing and just don't list it - my CV just looks like I did a 4 year English degree and nobody's ever mentioned it). Don't worry about the career gap - if anyone asks in interview just say you were taking some time to make decisions about your future OR had a period of ill-health which you're now fully recovered from and won't reoccur. Whichever you're more comfortable with.

Thanks so much for the confidence boots Anathema, topcat and Snow! :) Thanks as well peach! :)

I think I'm a bit nervous at the moment because they're asking for the whole job history, and I suppose either I could leave out the teacher training course (as peach says) or include it and then explain why I left it, due to ill health. I'm not sure which option, out of the two, would be the best (or best of a bad bunch) really. WWYD? I feel really stuck. So far, I haven't put the teacher training course on my CV, but as this is an official job application form, I feel as if I really should put down all jobs I've had so far.

Hi again everyone, thank you so much for all of your replies and support so far :) I'm just posting here again for traffic if that's okay!

I just feel really stuck about how to navigate the employment situation (in my last couple of posts, I mentioned that as I haven't been continuously employed for the last 5 years, I'm concerned that this will count against me).

As I left my last job (the teacher training course) due to mental health issues, which then continued and are still ongoing (but are much less severe), I'm still wondering if I should disclose the mental health problems on the application form to explain my gap in employment and why I left the teacher training course, or if this wouldn't be a good idea?

I would love some help or guidance with this - just a general consensus of 'yes, declare the mental health problems' or 'no, it wouldn't be a good idea'.

Thanks!

I just wouldn't mention it - they don't need to know everything about you.

Good luck

I wouldn't mention it unless you feel you'd need accommodations in your new job. Also you don't have to say you left teacher training for mental health reasons - you could say you left because you decided you didn't want to be a teacher!

Apply!
If memory serves me well I believe civil service applications/interviews are heavily weighted towards competency based situations and not so much the technical aspects of the role. True, the essential experience and knowledge is important but a good covering letter and keen interest shown during any interview will trump this in my experience.
Draw upon hobbies, interests outside the professional environment for examples and you could stand a good chance. Anyway, what's the worst that could happen? You gain application experience and feedback (civil service, although slow are usually good at providing this).

Good luck!

May favourite piece of advice for civil service jobs- is there an email address for an individual or phone number? As opposed to a generic HR contact

If it's specific, ask if you can meet for a coffee to discuss the role, or at minimum at phone call. Hardly anyone does this any more but it makes such a great first impression and shows that you're really interested (as opposed to applicants who are just applying as it's a job). You can then mention that you don't have the exact experience they require but that you have lots of transferable skills.

Kally that's a fantastic piece of advice - thank you! :)

There is actually a contact number and email address given on the job specification, which is brilliant. I contacted them today to clear up some confusion about application closing dates (two separate ones are listed on different advertisements for the role). The phone number is linked to a named staff member, so I'm hoping to ask them for more information if they get back to me about the closing date.

Thanks again!

Also, this is a bit off-topic, but I spoke to a relative earlier today about applying for this job. I mentioned that I was worried about my employment history, as I haven't been in work from last November to this February. During that time though, I've been updating a blog that I started last year, so my relative suggested perhaps that I explain in the application form, where appropriate, that from November onwards I was looking for a career change from teaching (after leaving a teacher training course in November) and that I focussed on my blog (which is a languages, culture and travel-related website) during this time as a proactive way of working out a career change. This role that I'm applying for does in fact involve updating websites and writing and proofreading content for websites, so I'm wondering if writing about my blog in the application form might be a good way of showing the transferable skills and experience that I picked up since starting it last year? What do you all think?

The 5 years wont necessarily be an issue... it usually is due to pre-employment checks - they will want to account for your history during that time.... your go or similar to fill gaps when not working for health reasons would probably be enough to substantiate where you were ...