Job interview, been given hints that I have no chance...do i put myself through the trauma of an interview?

[spookyskeleton]

As the title says

It is internal promotion, it is the only promotion opportunity that will ever come up in the organization for me but the manager has told me the competition is extremely strong and includes much more senior people than this position is.

I have a strong suspicion that she forgot to shortlist me (even though she told me I would be shortlisted) and my interview has been crow barred into the interview date. Clearly the interview is just lip service because I am internal and have always been viewed as the natural successor to this role from within the organization - however it was advertised externally hence the competition.

I face a week of stress, homework etc for what appears to be a futile task - what do I do?,

Bump -

I would prepare for the interview and give it your best shot! The best candidate should be appointed and you have the advantage of knowing the organisation. Good luck!

I am trying not to sound defeatist but not sure my extensive knowledge of the organization is going to give me that much of an edge over someone who has operated at a much higher level

I am just disappointed as I have been hanging on for this role and I love the organization and I will have no choice but to find a job elsewhere otherwise I will be stuck forever!

You're in the same boat as I will be when a job is advertised. Give it your absolute best shot. Who knows what's around the corner?

You never know you may nail it and get the job but you won't get it if you don't put the effort in.

Good luck!

Go for it.

You should definitely go for it. Although if you don't start recognising that you're in with a chance, you won't do well at interview! You have an interview - they wouldn't waste your time or theirs if they didn't think there was a chance you might get it.

Once you get an interview, that will be what they decide on - how you present yourself and what they think of you from that. Once you get an interview it's a level playing field - what was on the CV is no longer relevant, that's what got you through the door. What'll keep you there is YOU.

Tell yourself you can do it, that your extensive knowledge will mean a lot and that you will be wonderful at interview. Friendly, positive, honest and sell yourself. Just think of how much time they would have to invest in getting a 'higher' person up to speed with all the stuff you already know....You are clearly the best option. Good luck.

Thanks everyone for the pep talks - will re- read this thread just before my interview to give me some encouragement

However, realistically, I am sure I have only been shortlisted as a 'political' move and because it is the right thing to do.

I know I just need to do my best and then it will be for my manager to decide if my organizational knowledge is more important than previous experience of a similar role

Give it your best shot. At the very least it will be good interview practice if you then decide to move on.

Go for it. It is a chance to show how much you want the job and how good you are going to be at it. You never know...

If you don't get it, I don't see why you have to move as you are happy in the role. Learn from your boss as much as you can to get to that higher level of performance. When that boss moves on, throw your hat in the ring again. By then, you would have grown into the role in their eyes.

You might still get it.

I was in just this situation a few years ago. I had been eyeing up this job for ages, only internal candidate etc

Then a competitor organisation made big redundancies and suddenly I found out that a lot of much more experienced people were applying for 'my' job.

The informal feedback I was getting was not all that positive about my chances and I thought of not bothering and going for a worse job that I thought I would get.

Then I thought 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' and applied anyway, put loads of effort into preparing.

On the day I recognised lots of really senior people waiting for interview and thought I had no chance but if I say so myself I did do a really good interview. I used everything I knew about the organisation to tailor my answers including exactly what the interview panel's personal priorities were. That went down really well when I name-checked their pet projects.

I was gobsmacked to get a call later that day to say I'd got the job and sometimes still can hardly believe it and feel a bit unworthy.

What's the worst that can happen? You will regret it far more if you don't give it your very best shot and maybe on the day you will impress the most with internal knowledge and enthusiasm plus maybe being cheaper!

Great story, mamadoc

Don't forget more senior people might not get it because they are seen as too demanding, expecting higher salary, or they might not stick around, or they might have applied for all sorts and not actually want the job (if redundant)

And the age old it's good experience...

mamadoc thanks for your story, it has given me hope.

It is always harder being interviewed by people you know so I am not looking forward to it at all!

You must go for it, it all depends upon who performs better on the day and you never really can predict how things will map out. Internal job interviews can be difficult, don't assume that the people interviewing you know how good you are, you must blow your own trumpet.DO lots of preparation gathering examples in line with the Person Spec and try to include how the role can be taken forward. Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine.