Should I apply for a job I can't accept?

[cheesemebaby]

A position has come up in an excellent organisation, which I am qualified for. Normally positions advertised require 3+ years more experience than I currently have.

Unfortunately, even if I were to be successful in my application, I can't back out of my current contract until a certain date. There are financial penalties and to be perfectly honest I wouldn't want to, my current employers have invested a lot in me and I'd like to fulfill the agreeement. Plus I like this job, but professionally the other job would be much more valuable for me in the long term.

AIBU to apply even if I can't accept the job? I think it would be helpful to get an insight into how their recruitment process works and give me an advantage when applying again in the future. Or would this piss off the organisation and be a black mark against me when re-applying?

Has anyone ever done this and had a good/bad experience?

HR people and people who know about this sort of thing, help!

[cumfy]

Would someone in HR ever do something unlawful ?

[CinnabarRed]

I must be being thick - I still don't understand what's in it for you to apply (even leaving aside the risk of pissing them off, which I would judge to be high)?

[cumfy]

Don't understand the naysaying on this.

There is nothing amiss with a current employer having a good job and another employer offering a potentially better one.
A conversation ensues.

What's not to like ?

[picturesinthefirelight]

It is not unlawful

Yes an interview is a two way process but having had your offer if a job turned down there us no way I would give a second chance unless the applicant had very sting reasons for the change eg a circumstance which only came up at intervew was the reason for declining and that circumstance was no longer there

When I employ people I need to be able to rely on them. Barring sex/pregnancy and race reasons I can interview & employ who I like

If I was really really desperate I might get someone in as a temp for a couple of weeks but I wouldn't employ them permanently or waste my time interviewing them again if they had previously declined.

[StillSquiffy]

Depends on the circs. I work in an area with very few specialists. Sometimes it takes up to a year to find the right person. Sometimes we'd be happy to wait for the right person, and sometimes we need the 'good enough' person in a hurry, instead. In my area it is also not unusual to see 6 mth and 3 mth notice periods.

What is absolutely bloody essential though is that if there is a deadline or if it is clear that they want to fill the role by 'x' date and you cannot make that, you must be clear in your covering letter that you are very interested in role, but are committed with your current client until whatever specific date you have in mind; you hope however that you will still be considered for the role, given your expertise in A, B and C.

That way you don't mess them around and also subliminally tell them that (a) you are an in-demand woman, and (b) you are proferssional and loyal. Win-win.

If someone applied knowing they couldn't take the job and didn't fess up till offer stage, they'd be blacklisted.

[StillSquiffy]

Should have said 'if someone applied to my firm ...." it's not a generic thing that always happens (though it would happen in any of the firms I have worked for)

[picturesinthefirelight]

I recently interviews 3 people for a job to start on x date.

One if them didn't tell me until I contacted her referee thatxshecwas on holiday on the starting date and the other told me at interview she had another commitment on that date.

The third person got the job.

[picturesinthefirelight]

Ps excuse typing errors. On phone.

[cumfy]

But pictures what if the current employer made a better counter-offer ?

[NoMoreMarbles]

to be honest i would apply.

There is no harm in testing the waters if you are planning on moving job in the future anyway...

They can only show interest or not...

[DontmindifIdo]

Counter offers are common and are a different issue - that normally ends with no hard feelings from both sides, especially if the person who accepts the counter offer does give the firm trying to recruit them the opportunity to match/beat it.

What looks like "messing you about" is pulling out of the process at a late stage (when time and money has been invested in hiring you) for reasons you could reasonably have been expected to think about before getting to the offer stage.

[cheesemebaby]

CinnaberRed- to get a better idea of the recruitment process, and get feedback on interview if I get through to interview stage. So I'd be at an advantage when I apply for one of their more standard, x years of experience required, roles in a few year's time.

Although I don't think I will, given the responses on this thread....

Also, I am simply very tempted by the job. If I was offered it I'd be sorely tempted to buy my own way out of my contract and take up the new one.

[picturesinthefirelight]

In all three cases there was no current employer in that it is a part time industry with people working a few days for one company and a few for another etc

Pay rates are pretty set ( we pay above most others). Not into bidding wars. I iffercwhatvi offer if that's not enough fine, bye.

[ByTheWay1]

I recently had 5 interviews for positions within a month - I was offered 3 of them.... (so much for there being no jobs out there) I made each employer aware that I was actively looking for work - and they were happy for that to be so.

I accepted the one that I wanted the most... I wrote to the other 2 declining their posts due to accepting another elsewhere - one phoned back and actually asked me to reconsider - I replied I could not - but they have said that if I do need employment in the future I should get in contact....

Do people really only look for one job at a time? If I need a job I go all out and apply to anywhere that appeals to me.... it appears to work.

[picturesinthefirelight]

Dintmindifido explains my feelings well

[picturesinthefirelight]

Bytheway. I would have no problem with that other than I would know you preferred another employer to me.

[cumfy]

I think the other issue to be aware of is that employers "fish" as well as employees.
Jobs are offered which aren't "really" there or only available to the perfect candidate.
"Thanks but no thanks" letters are sent to all the interviewees and the better ones are kept on file.

Go ahead and join the game!

[CinnabarRed]

I guess I'm just a little surprised that you would feel any need to understand the recruitment process better - but then I work in a very established industry where all the interviews are pretty similar.

[picturesinthefirelight]

And our interviews consist of me observing someone doing the job, followed by an informal chat.

[PanickingIdiot]

when time and money has been invested in hiring you

That's an argument I'll never understand.

How does a company invest "time and money" in interviewing me?

The interviewers do it in their working hours, for which they are paid. Especially in the case of the HR person, interviewing IS their job, but I expect it's part of a manager's responsibilities as well. The process serves the interests of the business. It's not a favour they are doing to me.

It is actually me, the applicant, who invest time and money in the process, because I'm not paid for getting interviewed, it's not part of my job, I do it in my free time and at my own expense. The company doesn't invest anything. I do. If I don't get the job, THEY wasted MY time.

Turning down a job offer isn't any more outrageous than the company deciding not to offer it to me in the first place.

[picturesinthefirelight]

Interviewing costs me a lot of time a d money. Time I could be spending running my business. Disruption to the children I work with (as I want to always observe the person working with them).

[PanickingIdiot]

Interviewing IS part of running your business. The fact that you'd rather spend that time doing something else is irrelevant - probably the candidates would also rather spend their time doing something else, but then they wouldn't get a job and you wouldn't find anyone to do the work you need done.

[LadyMacbethIsBored]

Presumably the financial penalties you will incur for leaving early are due to a training course, perhaps a new employer would be able to meet this cost if they really wanted you and your experience. Perhaps you could mention this in your application letter and let them make the decision.