Applying for a job you’re not qualified for

A recruitment agency were once pestering me to apply for a job I wasn't exactly qualified for. I did think about going for a minute. But assumed that being interviewed for a Captain of a large supply vessel, when the biggest thing I've ever drove on water, was a pedalo, might get me sussed. :lol:
 


Epping said:
Well I've gone from doing IT in the city to mentoring and outreach work with troubled teenagers.

Every day different. Currently in St Albans library
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Class that ! I’ve worked on IT for 26 years and I could do with a break from it. Recently was made unemployed (long story) and will probs have to leave the UK next summer and follow the missus. (Long story) Would love to do something like this but not sure where to start.
 
West_Winger said:
Yep. If I’m good at processing widgets, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll be good at managing other people who process widgets. Yet most bosses seem to disagree.
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It's a difficult balance as someone managing people who process widgets must at least appreciate the skills involved in processing widgets and the difficulties which can be encountered.
 
I'm a Senior Manager and as such should have at least a degree level qualification. Left school with 7 poor CSE's.

What I've noticed is there are certain jobs (manager) where qualifications are requested so people with degrees are recruited to them, then the company spends Thousands trying to teach the person with the qualification how to be a manager. I don't believe how to be a manager is a qualification. You either have it and will rise to the top or you don't and it doesn't matter how many training courses you go, you will never have it. You can't train somebody how to change their engrained personality..............
 
Once and didn't get it. Needed a qual to do the job they went with someone who had just scrapped a pass on the course instead.

I did the next available course and smashed out a distinction with a 100% score.

They weren't prepared to take a risk, more fool them.
 
HellsBells said:
Anyone ever done it? How did it go?
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Applied for, interviewed for and was offered position of "Lean Practitioner" for NHS a few years back despite having no more than a passing knowledge of lean methodologies at the time.
Thankkfully the funding was pulled for the job a few weeks before I started

Yankee Mackem said:
My dad applied to be head of SETI once.

Didn't get the job.
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Maybe he's still waiting to gear back from them
 
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HellsBells said:
The job advert actually doesn’t specify any prior experience, just the kind of skills they’re looking for. All of which I can do, just never in that particular field before.
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If you’re fairly confident that you could be doing the job well in a years time then go for it. Let them decided whether you’re right for the position. It’s not for you to worry about.

The fact they have asked for skills rather than experience might hint at the fact that they’re open to competent people moving into the field.
 
Not the same but I applied for one job, can't remember what is was doing exactly but ended up being interviews for some techy job and had no idea what to say to them. Tried explaining this wasn't the job I applied for but they were adamant that it was then gave me a lecture about wasting time
 
I knew of a bloke who when asked about professional exams said "oh, I'm finished with them". They took that as he had passed them all and he got the job. In reality he'd just thought bollocks I'm not doing them.

It was a senior managerial post and he was bloody good at it.
 
Pretty much every job I've had I've been short on required criteria.

Most of the time it's been number of years experience and/or experience with a particular software or product. Nothing that can't be overcome. I'd say I've been qualified for every role, they've just set their job spec incorrectly.
 
Our lot is infested with em.
All the Project Managers and Contract Manager are semi clueless......and the four company owners know it anarl. Every Xmas do the site lads get thanked by the owners for looking after the management ffs! “If they start interfering just give us a ring at the office lads”. TBH it suits everyone though, we keep them out of the shite and they keep away from site after four o’clock.....
 
TopCat said:
Applied for, interviewed for and was offered position of "Lean Practitioner" for NHS a few years back despite having no more than a passing knowledge of lean methodologies at the time.
Thankkfully the funding was pulled for the job a few weeks before I started
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How ironic, if the meaning of lean is what I think it is? :lol:
 
I usually take on roles that require certain generic skills but always something new that I have to learn/adapt to quickly - one I have taken on now is completely alien industry to me (Automotive) so every day is a learning exercise.

Conversely, I went for an interview a few weeks ago at a well known Telco - brief was massively different to the actual role that was discussed in interview, so we mutually agreed it wasn't for me - dodged a bullet mind as it was the lead story on BBC news a few days ago:lol:
 
MackemBob said:
Once applied for the Hibernian manager’s job. My qualifications included getting Sunderland to successive cup finals on Championship Manager. Got a thanks, but no thanks reply.
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I won back to back promotions with Sunderland and got them to the champions league in my fourth season back in the prem on the latest FM.

I hear City might need a new manager soon!
 

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