Hazey_Jane wrote: ↑Thu Jun 29, 2023 6:25 pm
Skips- are you able to step out of the situation and pretend this is happening to a friend and how you would address them? Because I’m sure you’d be echoing to your friend exactly what we are saying to you.
I'll try this, but my self esteem/feelings of failure are what my counselling is focused on so it's easier said than done.
See my recent thread about ‘impostor syndrome’
And when you have a solution for self esteem / feelings of failure then please share it.
Derek Nimmo wrote: ↑Thu Jun 29, 2023 2:19 pm
Nothing ventured, nothing gained and it should definitely give you some confidence that they spotted your potential and asked you to interview for it.
Best of luck!
Absolutely this! It's very flattering and exciting And in a way the lack of a job spec could be an upside as they won't be expecting you to have come for interview having ticked a lot of boxes. And bear in mind that it is much about you finding out whether this is a role you want as it is whether they want you, so don't be too humble/unnecessarily honest about any gaps in your experience. Good luck!!
So I'm at a potential crossroads and trying to work things out.
I've started a further 6 month secondment with a partner team and so far so good. Plus my name has been put forward for promotion.
The but is where do I go after this secondment? I really don't want to go back to the work in my original area and at the moment there a recruitment freeze for any new roles including any in the team I have been working with for the past 12 months. There was an opportunity earlier this year to apply for a role but senior people put the freeze in place and we don't know for how long. The manager for my last team is keen for me to apply for a role in their team once it opens up.
The thing is I had a bit of a moment a few months back and applied for a job. The feedback was they didn't think I had the right background for that role but wanted to keep in mind for the future.
Well the future has arrived and a role has opened up and they want to talk to me. I think I should apply and see how far I can progress in the process but I don't want to seem disloyal to the people who really have supported me in the past 12months.
I’ve been in a similar situation where I applied for a new job at a different company after just being promoted into a new role. I came to the conclusion that I had to do what was best for me and not feel bad about it. My company had been good to me but there was no guarantee that would last, and as a manager I’m really pleased when my people go on to bigger and better things. So if it’s good for you then you should go for it.
Thanks both and just exactly what I needed to hear. I know the only loyalty I owe to is to myself. I've put my name forward and I should have a preliminary interview soon. I'll take it one step at time.
I had my second interview (teams call), although it was more of a casual chat as I was meant to have been sent the job spec.
I definitely don't have the experience they are looking for and I think the top boss (not the one that suggested me) is going to want specific examples of where I've done the things they are asking for as he broadly asked about those today (project management and people management). So I don't know what to do. They invited me for a face to face tomorrow but I just worry this is stretching myself too far. And I don't think its imposter syndrome, I've been a PA but that's has high as I've got, I've mostly done basic admin roles.
If you don't have direct people management, have you got examples of mentoring people, running on-boarding programmes, sitting in on reviews, helping manage disputes between teams or individuals? Similarly with project management, have you got examples of working on implementation and checking progress on someone else's project set up? Liaising with multiple departments and making sure work streams are running smoothly?
Don't get me wrong, I'd never claim to have experience I don't, and I'd frame the start of any answer with something like "whilst I didn't have formal responsibility for X, I worked alongside / was part of a team that did etc etc" which gives an honest account of your experience whilst still showcasing your abilities and then the decision is theirs
I'd also be frank about expectations for training and support, being thrown into line management especially is tough and they should absolutely provide backing for you to do so.
No, I don't have any examples of either of those things. I've bimbled along the bottom of most organisations I've worked for. I honestly don't know what the Chap that suggested me for this role saw. I think I should say I don't want to take it further. I said to J it feels like I'd be deep sea saving with a snorkel :)) I want to stretch myself and I have settled with a lot of jobs for various reasons, but I just can't shake feeling like this would be too much.
I'd take the interview regardless, and just be honest about the fact that you'd welcome the opportunity to learn and develop on the job. Answer every question with "I haven't had any direct experience of that, but my approach would be..." and see how it goes. Its worth a go!
They wouldn't waste their time with a face to face interview if they hadn't picked up good vibes on the phone. They could just be asking about your experience to see what sort of training you might need, rather than just to write you off.
I have no faith in myself at all (all tied in with feeling like a failure and being dealt with by my counsellor). I spoke to my best friend who gave me some good advice, and she isn't one to say stuff just to make me feel better or for the sake of it. She also looked over my CV and the job description and pointed out where I do actually have those skills and how I could present them. She said the same as you Derek, not to lie but to acknowledge while I might not have some of the skills in a professional capacity I do have some experience from past volunteering or even just life skills (budgeting for instance when I went from a London salary to a smaller town one). It gave me confidence that while I might be on the outside edge of having what they are looking for I could still fill the role.
