Choose a candidate depending on their notice period?

[Meandmrsjonesgotathinggoingon]

There’s a job that’s come up internally where I work that I am interested in. I mentioned my interest to a colleague who works in that area and asked a few questions about it. It also came up in a brief conversation on another day (they brought it up, I’m not nagging about it!!!)

I believe they like me and I believe I am very well placed to apply for the role. However on both occasions they mentioned the role is very urgent and they need someone straight away. So I’m wondering if they are warning me that they would choose someone with no notice period as a preference. My contract states id have to give two weeks in my current role. My current manager is unlikely to allow me to go sooner.

my question is - can they use notice period as a deciding factor overtly? Or might they just pretend another candidate is better than me and it just so happens they are unemployed and available straight away?

ps I know I might not be the best candidate but want to know if I might lose out even if I am

I don't see why they wouldn't be able to use it as a deciding factor. If 2 people of are of same standard and one can start tomorrow and the other next month its fair enough to go with one who can start early i think.

In your case though with a 2 week notice that's surely not long enough to be that much of an issue ?

I would jump up and down with delight if a candidate only had a 2 week notice period and if they were internal even better as always prefer to promote internals.

I deal with 3 to 6 month notice periods even when jobs are urgent which is a long wait.

God yes. 2 weeks notice is a dream and internal saves you a load of induction time!

2 weeks is nothing. Mine is 3 months and that is a pain!

Yes, of course they can use this as a deciding factor. They can use anything that’s not discriminatory.

But, as notice periods go, two weeks is nothing so try not to worry too much about it.

If two candidates were neck and neck in scoring then it could be used as a factor. I agree that 2 weeks is nothing, I thought you were going to say 2 months.

Two weeks is nothing even if someone was unemployed would probably take that long to check references and do pre employment checks.

If two candidates were as good as each other they yes but if one is head and shoulders above the others then I think they would wait m 2 weeks is very good though, most people in work have to give at least a meeting month. If you are the best candidate I can't see why they wouldn't wait 2 weeks

It would only be a deciding factor if notice was really long - e.g. 6 months or if there was absolutely nothing else to decide between 2 equally qualified and likeable candidates.

2 weeks is nothing. Don't worry about it.

“my current manager is unlikely to allow me to go sooner”

I agree with others saying that 2 weeks is so shirt that they probably couldn’t get an “immediately available for work” external candidate on board in less time. However, could your current manager not be overruled by someone else higher up in the organisation anyway of the need was great enough? After all, it’s all the same company. Maybe you could start the new gig but fit in time to do handover of the old one after starting the new one? The jobs and your role are all just bits of a bigger jigsaw and they’ll be most concerned with what is best for the organisation overall.

Thank you all. What will be will be.

for some reason I thought notice period is only two weeks if an internal move but I can’t find that written anywhere. Worst case it’s 4 weeks, as it would be if I was leaving the company.

Two weeks is a really short notice period! Four is standard and two months not unheard of even for fairly junior roles.