To apply or not?

[NiceBitOfCheese]

Would you apply for an 'internal applicants only' post which you know is intended for someone else?

If I was internal and thought I had the right skills, yes I would. If I didn't work for the company, no.

Is there someone else doing the job at the moment? TBH that is usually why they go internally and not post outside the company.

I am internal. I have the right skills.
The 'someone else' is currently on a lower grade, doing a similar job. The job has evolved so it is being re-written as a higher graded job, and because of that it has to be advertised. It's a way of promoting them, and they know this is happening. For me it would be a sideways move as I am already on the higher grade.

If it is a sideways move, are there other benefits to you?

The main 'benefits' will be moving into a role with potentially a career path (none where I am), and also not having a team of staff to deal with. I've had poor support from my team this year: high absence level, poor performance, low morale and a key person is undermining me. I heard on the grapevine that the most sensible and supportive person on my team is about to be moved to a new team being set up, leaving me with the most difficult people, and the least prestigious part of the job, which will diminish my job satisfaction.

the problem is you know that someone else is earmarked for it - it sucks, but i dont think theres any point (unless you want interview experience)

if you are better qualified and can prove it, you might have a case for something or other, but you would need to ask yourself "is it worth it?"

WellDidYa - I am better qualified, more experienced etc. Help me weigh up what would / wouldn't make it worth it!

Applying for it could highlight the fact that you're looking for career progression. Even if you don't have a real chance for this position, it might get your name on the radar as someone who wants to progress.

I would encourage you to apply.
As a manager I recently advised an internal only post, and because everyone reckoned 'X' would get it, nobody else applied!
I would have liked the choice of selecting the best candidate for the role, and not necessarily giving it to 'X' as they had been the only one to express an interest.

On an unrelated matter, when he was working, my Dad was leapfrogged by a junior colleague as they had both been told not to apply for a promotion as they had a preferred candidate. The guy who got the job ignored the advice, applied anyway and outperformed the preferred candidate at interview. My Dad lost out on the chance of a promotion and increased salary, back in the day when your pension was still based on salary at retirement.

If you are successful, your post becomes vacant and maybe the other person could move into your role.
Be selfish. Consider yourself above all others and apply! You'll be kicking yourself if a third party got the position over the two of you!!

OneHand and Fantastic I like your thinking, although this would not be promotion for me. I do really need to be selfish about this, don't I?

It will be very detrimental to the intended person if anyone else got the job, and I think that's one reason I'm undecided.

looking at the rest of the threads, GO FOR IT!!

Well - I'm leaning that way myself! It's an unorthodox move. It probably hasn't occurred to anyone that I might apply. Normally I would discuss this kind of situation with my mentor, and I would ask them to be a referee (was formerly my line manager, has been a referee for me before). However, my mentor is the line manager who has created this post to keep the 'intended' person in the organisation, and is likely to be on the panel! Awkward, huh?

It would be very embarrassing for me to go for the post and not get it, against the pseudo-incumbent, as I have both broader knowledge and specific experience - eg, some of the new responsibilities are things they have not done before, whereas I have a track record already, from a previous post.

I hope you applied BitOfCheese...?

Thanks for asking Fantastic but the job's not advertised yet.

I'm still undecided. The thing is (and yes I know I've committed the cardinal sin of drip-feeding) that I was copied into an email in which the job was describe as "X's job". So it's not like I don't know what's going on.

Apply. They have to give you a fair response and interview, especially as they know you've been copied into that email.

I went for an internal job that I was sure was a shoe in for someone else - but I did a bloody brilliant application and a good interview - partly because I was so sure i wouldn't get it but wanted to put myself on the radar of the department head who was new and had not met me. I got it and the other candidate got another temp contract to fill in for someone going on secondment. Go for it.

Is there a chance that any members of your current team would apply - especially if it's a promotion for them?
How would feel if they did?

MrsFoxx : All's fair in love and war - and the jobs market.