To go to an interview for a job I can't take

[Amoregelato]

I applied for a job a few weeks ago and have been offered an interview. The job is a Stepdown, I'm massively over qualified and it's not really what I want. However, it is at a place that I'd really like to get into and was considering it as a foot in the door.

I have subsequently also been offered a part-time side hustle in something which I love which interferes with the hours of this job which means I couldn't take it if I did that so I don't have an intention of taking it. WIBU to go to the interview anyway? I have a lot to offer this organisation and was hoping that they might consider me for an alternative post.

Personally I don’t see the point of going for the interview. You’re just wasting everyone’s time.

What's the point in going? Surely you'd just be wasting everyone's time if you've got zero inclination to actually take the job if offered.

It seems incredibly unlikely they will offer you an alternative role and by attending and messing everyone around all you'd be doing is ensuring they didn't consider you in the future should another role open up.

If you think you can effectively navigate the meeting, and the discussion about why you may not currently find it suitable - either in the interview or post interview - in a way which helps you establish and maintain a functional and positive relationship with the org - then go for it

You know the context and therefore can make the call on whether this is the most effective way to develop this connection

Personally I wouldn’t it’s just a waste of interviewers time when they are recruitzing for a specific role. I would email and withdraw your application but say something nice about hoping to work for the organisation in the future.

Where I work they may tell you to apply and interview for another role if they think you were a good fit, but they wouldn't be allowed to just offer you a different role. It still has to go through a transparent recruitment process. So here you would be wasting everyone's time and you may just piss them off if you got offered it and turned them down so you wouldn't get a foot in the door anyway.

In your shoes I'd explain in advance and give them the respect they deserve.

I think if you want a foot in with company, wasting the interviewers' time is a seriously bad idea.

Surely it’s worse to go for an interview and decline the job as that would be on your record with them? I don’t think this counts as a foot in with them; we’d see it as wasting our time.

Don’t go, they might have a waiting list of other applicants

I wouldn’t just turn up to the interview and then at the end of it say well I can’t actually come and work for you. It would be a big waste of their time and yours. I would email them explaining you have an interview booked in and explain your situation and ask them to let you know or consider you for any future posts that you’d be suitable for. If you can’t do the role/hours don’t waste time they could be interviewing someone that can fill the position

Wasting their time in an interview you have no intention of taking is not how to go about getting a foot in the door.

I wouldn't put myself through the hassle of the interview for nothing. I'd let them know circumstances have changed and withdraw.

Why do you want to go to the interview and waste everybody’s time?

Yes I would go.

If it’s the company you want to work for, and you impress them, you may be considered for alternative roles.

You may also go for the interview and love it so much that you give up the side hustle. You really don’t know until you get a feel for the place.

Don’t waste everyone’s time, yours included.

Depends on the company I suppose but most companies don’t operate like this. They are recruiting for a specific role and it would annoy me as a hiring manager to go through this process and then have this happen.

I was going to say you might want to go for interview practice, but if it is a massive step down and you don’t want it, you might just end up antagonising the interviewers and the organisation.

Just write a good letter to the right person saying that, if ever a suitable opportunity came up, you would love to be considered.

I would go to the interview. They can see from your cv that it would he a step down for you so may already have alternatives in mind to offer if they really want you. You won’t ever know if you don't attend.

How would you possibly be impressing them by wasting their time? On the contrary, I'd think you were entitled.

I would pull out on this basis alone:
The job is a Stepdown, I'm massively over qualified and it's not really what I want. However, it is at a place that I'd really like to get into and was considering it as a foot in the door.

I’ve very rarely seen this actually work. What happens in reality is 1 of 2 scenarios.

scenario 1
you find the job a breeze and take on extra responsibility, usually at the level you would prefer to work at and are qualified for. In part because you can and enjoy actually doing it and mainly because the company know a good thing when they see it.

then usually the way to progress is either waiting for the person to leave (or retire for companies with a lot of lifers) who is in the role you really should be in.

scenario 2
or if there is no such current role, then wait for the company to create one, apply for it and hope an external candidate hasn’t also been watching and waiting for it and the company to go with them as they bring ‘fresh ideas from outside the business’.

in reality though as you’re effectively doing two jobs for the price of one in scenario 2 is reality then why would the company do that?

if you then choose to leave, you’ve detailed your career and it’s hard to get it back on track.

so I’d pull out and say you’ve been offered an opportunity to go self employed and it clashes with the hours of this role but you’d love to keep in touch for the future.

Could hours be moved to accommodate both opportunities? If so you could go back to them and say your situation has changed are the hours negotiable?

Or scenario 3 - they hire you for the more junior role and you are constantly overlooked for promotion or other roles… because they have a highly qualified person happily doing the more junior role. You will probably also end up taking on more responsibilities that are beyond the scope of the junior role, to demonstrate that you are capable and striving. You will be an absolute bargain for the company. Why would they ever want things to change. They will have bought your expensive at very little cost.

Could you do the job if offered shorter hours to tie on with working around the side hustle? In which case go, and negotiate hours if offered the job.

I'd see you as a time waster and I'd be pretty pissed off with you.