Should I apply for this job?

[JustPassingThru]

I meet 18 of the 19 essentials. It would be a slightly shorter commute, for the same pay. I enjoy my current job but every week I work extra hours for no extra pay and I don't get any time back. However my current job is on an open-ended contract and the new one is only for 3 years.

At the turn of the year I was hopeful of promotion but it got blocked further up the food chain (my line manager is v. supportive). If I'm ever to get promoted now it will involve an interview and I need the practice, even if this job is not at the higher grade.

What do you think? I'm not sure how I can convince the recruiters that I would take the job if offered it; I've seen the organisational chart and can't really see any progression there either. I'm kind of doing it to make a point in my current organisation, but that's not really good motivation, is it?

Is the pay actually the same or is there scope for wiggle room? Most orgs would expect to pay more for external recruits? Unless there is a very tight pay structure and no flexibility.

18 out of 19 sounds good.

I'd apply and see what happens. What do you have to lose?

Good luck.

No wiggle room - public sector and I'm already at the top of the scale.

What do I have to lose ... security? But of course I could always turn it down...

Thanks for your response.

Go for it. You may not get it anyway - although you are clearly well-qualified, it's just a tough market out there at the moment. But it will probably crystalise some things about how you feel about your current job.

It is interview practice, and it's always good to have that once in a while. You'll probably have the chance to ask questions at the end, and you can ask about the chances for future progression - interviews are two-way things, and you can also ask them about the things you're not sure about (obviously not things that appears in the job spec or employer info, as you should have already researched all that - though you can ask for more details or clarification.) It shows you've thought about what the role will involve.

Even if you get offered it, you don't have to accept it. I was interviewed for a role a few years ago, and I was offered it, but I declined, because I didn't think it was offering what I needed in a job at that point, and also because the office was entirely enclosed, with no natural light and that would bother me for 40+ hours a week (others would be fine with it.) However, they came back to me and increased their offer, which I still declined, because it wasn't about the money, but it was a big lesson to me about how I can come over to others, because they clearly wanted me a lot. It was a good boost for my self-confidence, and it made me question whether I should be expecting more of myself. (Which is probably just a very female thing - isn't there some stat about men will go for a job if they match about 20% of the requirements, but women will only do so if they match at least 80% - and there's you with 18 of the 19 essentials, proving that point...)

EBearHug, that's interesting, and I can see why it boosted your confidence! Oddly, I already know this isn't really about the money per se, which is why moving for not a penny more is even thinkable. It's just that I feel that no matter how hard I work there will be no advancement where I am. This would be a change. I'll sleep on it.