Applying for a senior role

[Socksey]

Hi... just looking for some advice / insight etc.
I'm applying for a job within my company (realistically I probably won't get it as I am a lower grade, although I have the skills and experience etc).
Anyway... the job description is quite detailed and lots of information but they ask you to contact the person that would be the line manager for a discussion.
Does anyone in recruitment know why they ask that?
Or have any advice for applying for a job that would be a significant step up...
It's a role that I would really love and even if I don't get this time, would like it to be known that this is where I want my career to go.
Thanks

Most roles say that now, a good idea is to arrange a visit and have a look around and ask questions for a senior role. That's what I would do anyway.

Good luck.

Thanks... so they've asked that you have a discussion before sending in you application... at the moment it's an internal advertisement.... and making me doubt myself even more...

Always do it. So many reasons.

1. It shows the recruiting manager you are proactive, making an effort and interested.
2. You find out what they’re like - you might decide they’re not someone you’d like to work with. Or you click and it inspires you in your application.
3. You will understand the priorities of the people recruiting better and can tailor your application to what you know they are most interested in knowing or seeing demonstrated.
4. It also prepares you for what might come up at interview and gives ideas for some good questions to ask yourself.

Whenever I’ve done non-blind recruitment, even at first sift stage panels are usually pleased to hear about candidates that have made the effort to get in touch.

Quite often it's to try and get more diverse applications so you can have a chat beforehand to understand the role better. People might feel they don't quite have the skills when actually they would be quite good but having that chat gives them the nudge to apply. I'm surprised it is mandatory though.

HI - yes I agree with @Doubleraspberry as you get into more senior roles, you should always give the contact person a call. It's demonstrating that you're doing due diligence and always goes down well.

In terms of what to say, do some homework in advance -
(a) pick out a couple of areas in the JD and ask them what their expectations are from the postholder.

(b) Ask them what their top 3/main priorities are over the next 12 months
(c) if you can get in some examples of what you've done matching any of the above that's great, but don't worry if you're just taking notes of the conversation - just listen and sound interested..!

The call itself doesn't need to be very long and is easy in that it isn't your interview - you can ask questions and let them talk about how they see the role working. That way, you get some information you can then use in your interview.

I went for a senior role recently - asked to have a 1:1 with the new line manager (who I knew a little bit, but not very well) and got out of her what her top priorities are for the next year and how she saw the postholder supporting that. I was then able to weave some of that information (not too obviously!) into my interview - so she could see I'd listened and understood.

So definitely do it - and good luck with the recruitment process!

I've been in recruitment for nearly 30 years and would echo what @Doubleraspberry says

Agree with everything @Doubleraspberry has said.
I recruit a lot for roles in my Team and would be very unimpressed if an internal candidate applied without discussing the role with me first. An informal chat with me can really help them find out more about the role, what I am looking for and whether they would be a good fit. If they don’t discuss with me first I assume they are either not really interested, or too timid to approach me (I am very approachable!) in which case they wouldn’t be what I am looking for…

Thanks everyone. Some really helpful advice here.
I'm meeting the line manager tomorrow and application deadline is next week so trying to prepare things and look credible

You're actually making me feel like I may not look like I'm being completely unrealistic in my application... It's hard to get any promotion in my workplace and so this opportunity won't come along again for a long time
While it's not compulsory (sorry if I made it look like it was), the way it's written on the JD etc makes it look like a very sensible thing to do... and I don't want to just go in and make goldfish impressions.... so that even if I'm not considered for it now, that they'll have me on the radar for the future.
Thanks again

That’s a really sensible way of looking at it. The line manager will get a chance to get a sense of you in a way that interviews often make difficult, when things are very formal and you’re nervous. This sort of conversation helps get over that, and even if you’re not successful this time, you can make a good enough impact to be someone they think of another time and encourage to apply.

Thankyou, that's super useful. I've been ignoring those 'contact if you want an informal chat' notes, because I already know I want to apply, but I'll start doing so in future.