Applying for a job you’re not qualified for

Person recently started at our place who met none of the essential or desirable criteria of the role. They're not qualified to get required quals
in the field. An internal candidate was asked to apply having done the job (well) in the past as and when required, but didn't want to the extra qual. They then asked internal one to withdraw application and gave the job to unqualified gadgie. Apparently he was even told to doctor his CV. It's not what you know.
 


mickonline said:
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..............
Click to expand...

Management is leadership.
If you focus and get the latter right you will make it.
Good leaders are recognised by the teams that they manage.
 
I do a pretty specialised job and one applied for another job at Rolls Royce doing the same. I was surprised to find out that my mate has also applied for it, despite having no qualifications, experience or having ever worked in the industry. His justification was that it mentioned QA in the job description and he’d done a bit of that before. Never mind the fact that he didn’t know what the other 99% of the job entailed, he reckoned he could get the job and worry about the rest later. It was akin to someone applying for a job as an airline pilot because they’d once driven a bus. Neither of us got it, but to this day I still can’t believe that anyone would have the gall to apply for a job like that.

Swindon On Tour said:
Management is leadership.
If you focus and get the latter right you will make it.
Good leaders are recognised by the teams that they manage.
Click to expand...
Our current boss is due to retire soon and the big question is whether they’ll appoint/promote someone with technical knowledge, or just parachute an experienced manager in from another sector. Again, it seems ludicrous to me that you could run a successful business with no prior knowledge of what the business does. I know it happens all the time in big business, but doesn’t make sense to me.
 
Last edited:
Dave Herbal said:
I do a pretty specialised job and one applied for another job at Rolls Royce doing the same. I was surprised to find out that my mate has also applied for it, despite having no qualifications, experience or having ever worked in the industry. His justification was that it mentioned QA in the job description and he’d done a bit of that before. Never mind the fact that he didn’t know what the other 99% of the job entailed, he reckoned he could get the job and worry about the rest later. It was akin to someone applying for a job as an airline pilot because they’d once driven a bus. Neither of us got it, but to this day I still can’t believe that anyone would have the gall to apply for a job like that.


Our current boss is due to retire soon and the big question is whether they’ll appoint/promote someone with technical knowledge, or just parachute an experienced manager in from another sector. Again, it seems ludicrous to me that you could run a successful business with no prior knowledge of what the business does. I know it happens all the time in big business, but doesn’t make sense to me.
Click to expand...

Wasn't it Henry Ford that said "I don't need to know all the information, just where to get it"? Or something like that.
 
Dave Herbal said:
What if you leave another job to take it, then discover you’re way out of your depth and end up getting sacked?
Click to expand...
Depends on your attitude to risk I guess, and the company if interviewing well should only employ you if they think you fit the bill.

However I was actually replying to the comment that HellsBells made, and I quote:
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.


I was assuming that HB would have a good chance of succeeding. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
 
JonnotheMackem said:
Went for an HR Managers job in China, that I was woefully under qualified for apart from speaking Chinese.

Walked into the office, said I wanted it. Was immediately interviewed in English. Massively exaggerated my leadership and management experience.

Interviewed in Chinese about how I'd handle arguments, disagreements with temperamental foreign staff.

Went upstairs to meet the director. Talked about Chinese Tea for half an hour.

Got the job, learned as I went and made improvements based on what I'd have expected as a member of teaching staff. Teaching staff reported significant improvement at Xmas party. Left after 2 years never to be replaced. :cool:
Click to expand...
You speak Chinese? :eek: That’s unusual (and class)
 
HellsBells said:
Anyone ever done it? How did it go?
Click to expand...
I personally never have but a good friend of mine has done it a few times and has been quite successful. His mentality is that every work place does things different so they're going to train you anyway.

Not sure that I prescribe to that, but it has worked for him thus far.

West_Winger said:
Most people tend to get promoted beyond their ability anyway because they do such good jobs at the level where they’re at their best.
Click to expand...
So true
 
Put my hands up to a disastrous marriage and never seeing my kids when I applied for fostering. Got the job and fostered problem kids for 7 years. I assume the social worker sussed I was carrying a shed load of guilt.

ps. None of the kids were a problem for me.
 
I'd argue it's worse being over promoted in an area you know then taking a sideways step in an area where your skills will be if value.
 
JL1985 said:
My current job never asked to see any qualifications or asked for a reference.
Click to expand...
Lucky you - I was verbally offered a job a fortnight ago, and because the public sector have all the procedures etc in place I’ve had to make an appointment to hand in the same ID/quals documents I took to my interview and won’t put anything in writing (other than the standard - you are the preferred candidate don’t put your notice in yet) until all of the references are in and have made their way from HR to the manager of the department who have offered the job and back again. I already have a 3 month notice period - it’s going to be more like 4 months between verbal offer and start date by the time I get something formal from them.

To complicate things I was offered a promotion at my current place which I’ve turned down and they are waiting for my notice to go in before they contact the 2nd choice for the promotion. I’m also technically on secondment in my current role so my previous line manager needs to wait for me to hand in my notice to get a permanent replacement sorted for my old job.
 
Dave Herbal said:
I do a pretty specialised job and one applied for another job at Rolls Royce doing the same. I was surprised to find out that my mate has also applied for it, despite having no qualifications, experience or having ever worked in the industry. His justification was that it mentioned QA in the job description and he’d done a bit of that before. Never mind the fact that he didn’t know what the other 99% of the job entailed, he reckoned he could get the job and worry about the rest later. It was akin to someone applying for a job as an airline pilot because they’d once driven a bus. Neither of us got it, but to this day I still can’t believe that anyone would have the gall to apply for a job like that.


Our current boss is due to retire soon and the big question is whether they’ll appoint/promote someone with technical knowledge, or just parachute an experienced manager in from another sector. Again, it seems ludicrous to me that you could run a successful business with no prior knowledge of what the business does. I know it happens all the time in big business, but doesn’t make sense to me.
Click to expand...


A real interesting one.
Take my boss. Very laid back and openly quoted to me his job is all about people and politics. He 100% allows me to run the Division and delegates any “Corporate” policies that need to be carried out. Other than that I have set up the processes, employed the team who are excellent and getting results.

Without doubt he is fair, easy to get on with and backs me 100%.
He also is a mentor. Finally he rewards success thus can’t ask much more than that.
A Manager may not know the business inside out but he may be successful at managing and putting a team together that brings success. A very thin line though.
Typically some will argue that Managers should be doing the thinking and less of the doing. My opinion you have to do both.
 

Back
Top