Have i totally messed up here??

[Ahjeezeno]

I’d like some honest opinions here as to whether I’ve messed up and ruined my chances at a job.

I’ve worked in the same company for many years. A new job has come up in a different department. The application process should be done via the company intranet.

I know the hiring manager fairly well so emailed her to ask about the role directly. She replied and sent a job description and explained a bit about the role. The email was friendly but a little curt. Her manner is a little like this though.

I read the job description and there was a list of essential skills and desirable skills. One of the essential skills I do not have any demonstrable experience of.

I replied thanking her for her mail and explaining that one of the essential skills I cannot meet and asking whether she felt it was still worth me applying as it doesn’t go down too well in my current department if you apply for other positions.

Basically, I asked her to let me know whether that essential skill was a dealbreaker or not and that I fully understood if it was and then I wouldn’t apply. I also included my CV for her to look at as that demonstrates lots of the other skills.

this was yesterday and she’s not replied at all. Common sense tells me she’s either feeling like I’ve overstepped the mark by contacting her directly and not simply applying through the correct channels or she’s not interested in me as a candidate.

I don’t feel like I’ve necessarily done something wrong - I just don’t want to waste mine or their time if I have no chance at the job. I also don’t want to piss my own manager off by having to tell him yet again that I’ve applied for another position.

Is what I’ve done completely out of order? I now am in limbo and don’t know whether to apply or not. I feel like a complete idiot 😞

I've been in her position dealing with 'informal enquiries' on jobs. They can be v hard to answer if a candidate really is borderline, especially if you have no idea who else will apply and don't have the candidates full cv, only a general impression. So you want to say 'yes apply' but also know you might need to reject them later.

Be glad she has not immediately said 'no don't bother' and put in your best application if you want the job.

I bet she’s just busy and needs to think about it - it was only yesterday.

Of course it depends on your company culture, but I don’t think you’ve overstepped at all. In fact, if someone internal who I already knew wanted to move to my team I’d find it strange if they didn’t get in touch first.

Good luck!

She can't answer this question.

It's fine for you to contact her to ask for more information and discuss the role informally, which you've done.

It is inappropriate to ask her whether a particular skill is key, and if you should apply. She can't discuss your specific application or any aspect of it, as it would be unfair to others.

Only you can decide whether to apply. If she reassured you, it might be misleading; if she told you not to apply, it would leave her open to all sorts of charges of influencing the recruitment process.

And unless she's mad, whatever she'd say in person, she'd never say in writing.

She also might just have not had time to get back to you. I wouldn't read anything into it either way, and I would apply for the job. It may or may not be genuinely essential but nobody will think badly of you for applying.

Ah this is what I’m worried about, I could absolutely kick myself. At the time it seemed better to be totally honest and open and rather than waste peoples time and annoy my manager I’d have preferred to know straight away if there was no point in applying.
I applied for a similar role a year ago in a different department and again it was the lack of that particular skill that stopped me from getting that job then.

I can’t get that skill in my job, it’s one of those things that you need to be exposed to do I’m constantly going to be turned down.

Op I feel your pain I’ve just bloody done this. I can’t believe I was so stupid but was an innocent question.

Men don’t think this way! But PP is right, you don’t know the completion, or the performance on the day.

I would include in a covering letter, whilst I don’t have x skill I understand the concept and willing to learn, and list all the skills you do have and why you’d be a good candidate.

I think she’d just feel she couldn’t answer that because it’s up to you.

You might be being a bit needy.

You’ve got the info and you want to go for it, so go for it. Lots of people (men especially) apply for jobs they aren’t fully qualified for and get them. So give if a go, just explain why you think you’d pick up that essential skill really fast.

don’t decide you won’t get it. Don’t make a drama out of the fact you asked a question. sell yourself.

@Jackdawface it doesn’t matter. No one cares.

just crack on and apply.

I did apply but it’s supposed to be anonymous and I’ve says something stupid like - I don’t have x do you think with my experience of x I can still apply. I honestly can’t believe I’ve been so stupid.

*said

You've not messed up.
Apply for the job.
If it's a real dealbreaker, you won't get an interview.
If it's not, or you look great on paper otherwise, you may get an interview.

If you DON'T apply, you WON'T get an interview. Get on and get it!

sorry to hijack the thread but my question is I’ve been stupid and listed some things I’ve written in my application form and it’s supposed to be anonymous for fairness. I’m wondering like the op if I’ve messed up.

@Jackdawface It's not like you can do anything about it. Just carry on with the application.

As PP have said sadly she cannot answer your query. If you meet 80% of the skills required seriously consider applying as you've mentioned the essential skill you 'lack' needs exposure to develop that skill. When doing your covering email you could give them your plan as to how you could achieve the essential skill. Good luck OP 🥰

@Ahjeezeno

But don't worry! Go ahead & apply if you are interested. You haven't messed up in that sense. Just that she really probably shouldn't reply either way.

If I met you in person, I would probably say, off the record, 'go for it' but I'd be very careful in writing as I would never want any suggestion I had influenced a candidate

Good luck! 🍀

Thank you. I just hope that by putting her in that awkward position she doesn’t feel that maybe I wouldn’t be a good fit. She’d be my immediate manager and is probably already thinking I’m a nightmare 😩

@Ahjeezeno Try not to panic, it’s not like you’ve done something awful you had good intentions like me. I’m kicking myself a bit but it’s not like you’ve done something truly terrible!! Although me reassuring myself like this is another story! Good luck!

😩 at least if we do get interviews and we get asked what our weaknesses are we can honestly answer to being too honest and overthinking 😂😂

@Ahjeezeno Haha tell me about it! This has certainly been a lesson in overthinking for me if nothing else. 😂

@Ahjeezeno Did you end up hearing anything?

No, I have applied through the proper channels so I’ll just have to wait and see