Would you apply for a job knowing you wouldn't get it?

[Emergencycake]

A situation has arisen within work where my boss has been asked to set up a new office. A colleague and I have been asked to move to it and help set it up with a senior member of staff. They will also be looking to employ around 3 more staff.

An issue has arisen where it was suggested that the senior would need a deputy. I assumed this would go out to interview where my colleague believes it won't and it's likely to be an internal promotion.

It's been obvious for some time that my colleague has been entrusted with several far bigger jobs than I have. If they did promote internally then it's very likely they would get the position over me. I accept they probably deserve the role more than me and if I'm honest I'm not sure how well I'd cope at it anyway. My issue is would it look bad if I didn't apply? My confidence isn't great so to go for it knowing rejection is highly likely seems pointless. But then again does it look bad of me not to feign interest? What would you do?

Also did not mean for this to be a vote?!

Sometimes writing an application can be just what you need to improve confidence. You have to think through your skills and sell yourself, so why not apply but with purpose of learning to recognise your skills not to get the job itself?

If you want it then go for it but if you don’t want it then don’t. If you’re not actually sure and you end up getting it that could be very difficult. If you want it but don’t think you’ll get it then don’t let that stop you as you never know

I’ve applied for internal roles because I wanted management to see my cv and know that I had career plans. Knowing full well I had no hope of getting the job because it was clearly for another colleague.

HOWEVER I wouldn’t apply for a job to show I wanted a promotion if I didn’t. You don.’the have to apply just to look keen, it definitely won’t look bad to management.

I would recommend you speak to your line manager and explain that you aren’t interested so won’t be applying.

I started a thread about this recently. And I didn't apply. Mainly because I had form for applying for jobs internally and not getting because of personality issues and not ability. I didn't want to suffer the humiliation again.

I would just for the experience but it really depends on your situation.

If you are being encouraged to apply just be aware that they may need a certain number of applications in order for the process to look fair and open. Without enough interest they may have to go external with the recruitment.

If you really don't want or expect to get the job I wouldn't bother, unless you feel the practice alone would be helpful.

I applied for something I never thought I’d get internally. Manager chose me for the role over applicants 3 grades above me (15 interviewees!) because he wanted someone he could mentor and train up with fresh energy (I’m ambitious) rather than someone with preconceived ideas!

6 months later I’m getting good feedback so I say go for it as you never know what they might be looking for.

If you're happy in the position you're in and you're not looking for anything else, dont apply. In my career its assumed everyone wants to push for the next promotion at the earliest opportunity and it annoys me.

However, if you think the prep for the selection process would benefit you for whatever reason then go for it. There are many positives in situations like this that arent getting the job at the end.

I did it. There was me and another woman at our level, then one position a level up became available so we both applied. I knew she would get it, and to be honest she was better equipped for the role, but I thought I would give it a go. It was good experience and I got good feedback from the interview. She got the job, but I was glad I didn't just let her take it.

Only apply if you want the job.

Last year I applied for an internal promotion, I didn’t think I would get it, but it was a position I wanted to be in when I had been with my employer a bit longer, so thought an interview would be great so I would know what to expect. I knew there was zero chance of getting the job but if for some crazy reason I was offered it I would have said yes, if I had to say no it would mean I wouldn’t be considered in the future and rightly so.

I was offered the job, I’m now almost a year in and I’m so glad I took the risk and applied.

Definitely apply. Like the poster above said, you don’t know what they’re looking for in their ideal candidate. Yes it might be stitched up for your colleague, but equally they might want some specific skills you have that they don’t.

I recently applied for a long shot promotion. They interviewed 10 people and I’m sure they had the choice of far more experienced candidates, but they chose me because they wanted someone energetic and independent with good soft skills to lead the team, and that’s what came across to them from my CV and interview.

Focus on the skills and special qualities that you can bring to the role, and highlight those. You might get it, you might not - if not, you can ask for some detailed feedback and use that to shape the direction you want to go in career wise.

I once applied for a job where I knew I wouldn’t get it and didn’t really want it. I knew who would get and that they were the right person for the job and deserved it.
I wanted my boss to know I was interested in promotion though and as a result I was put onto a training programme for senior leadership that led eventually to the job I have now, which is the one I actually wanted.

This issue came back up today. I was talking to the senior and they concurred that it would literally be a toss up between the two of us and no one else would be asked to interview due to the way they are getting funding. I am a bit shocked if I'm honest. It's a big organisation and I assumed everything would have to go via HR and out to advert.

Thing is they implied if one of us didn't go for it, it would pretty much be gifted to the other. Senior then suggested another position may then open up in the future but that's not in stone and likely by then I'd have to compete with the additional new staff.

My colleague is super ambitious in the nicest possible way so I know they want it and I'm aware that they have been tasked with much bigger publicity jobs than I have.

It feels crazy that I would just lay back and say take the job, but then even if I go to interview, from current experience I feel it would be not only a waste of my time but a bit humiliating when everyone in our section knows they were picked over me. It feels a bit of a crappy way of handling things, at least from my perspective

I’ve applied for jobs that I thought I wouldn’t get in the past. Guess how I got my current job. The moment you don’t try is the moment you fail.

Reginabambina that is a good saying

I did last year. It was internal, and I was making a point about lack of internal development opportunities and succession planning. At least I improved their diversity stats.

(The external guy we have as a result is far better than me technically, so that was the right decision. But they could have at least interviewed me.)

I have 3 CVs covering 3 slightly different areas that I reuse over and over again so yes I will try for a job that I am unlikely to get because I just spam everyone. I would get a few call backs and so far, I've been lucky with landing at least one of them.

If you go for a job and are interviewed, you have a chance of getting it, so first thing to ask yourself is would you want it if offered?
If you would want it, I’d suggest giving it a shot. However, try to adjust your thinking away from the idea of ‘rejection’. Only one person can get a job; the unsuccessful candidates haven’t been rejected or humiliated - they simply aren’t the one who got it. If your colleague looks like the ‘favourite’, you have less to lose anyway, and may get some useful experience or feedback.