Advice on a job application please

[strawberryblondebint]

Hi all. I currently work for one council as a decision maker on crisis grants and community care grants. This is a temp position however there is a full time permanent job I would like to apply for with another council. I meet all the criteria bar one. It is a welfare rights officer position and they need a degree in either law or another relevant discipline. My degree which I got a looooong time ago is in business studies. How can I make this seem relevant? This is a fairly new career for me as I spent the majority of my career in retail management and sales. However I am now doing something that I feel makes a difference and want to continue in an advice and helping role iyswim. Any tips

Can you show how your work experience gives you the same expertise as someone who would have sat thru the formal law degree? Presumably they want someone who understands legal principles, procedures & precedents very well.

I could be wrong but I agree with Holiday, a law degree is pretty specific so if they need someone with a law degree and that might be that.

I agree - if it's essential that you have a law degree then you have to have one. But why not give the recruiting manager a call and talk it through?

"another relevant discipline"

Do you know what they would consider relevant disciplines? Can you phone up and ask?

Think I will give them a call. Job description states you should have a degree in a relevant subject e.g law or social science or equivalent experience working in a welfare rights or money advice post. I technically give out money advice and benefit advice daily so maybe that's enough. Problem is my job is within the revenues section of my council. Nearly every other council has it located in the social work department. So whilst I want to signpost people on and give advice etc my bosses are interested in form filling, entitlement and bureaucracy. This is why I want to move. I have hit a stalemate where my co workers and I are interested in helping people we are almost bullied into processing grants and leaving it there.

If they say ' or another relevant discipline ' then law is not essential and it's up to you to show how your knowledge is relevant. Can you give examples of how your business knowledge is relevant to the decision making role? (e.g. excellent understanding of current legislation/ working to deadlines/ operating within budgets/ need for confidentiality / outstanding communication and presentation skills/ project management etc etc etc)

Then even any degree isn't essential. You have relevant experience.

Thanks Betty. I wish you could fill out my application lol