Always good to get foot in door?

Claude_Money

I really want a particular role working for a charity. I’ve applied for it when it comes up but haven’t even gotten to interview stage. Recently the charity advertised quite a lot of vacancies working in their call centre, and I’m trying to decide whether or not to apply for one of these positions. I know people say that it’s good to get a foot in the door of an organisation, but won’t they get annoyed if I take one role then start applying for another?

The role that I want is a hands-on role. It isn't a promotion from working in the call centre, it’s more of a side step. As far as I’m aware they advertise all their vacancies externally anyway.

If I get a position working in the call centre I will be leaving a better paying job and will have to relocate; which is what I’d have to do anyway if I got the role that I want, just not necessarily to this particular city, as they have offices all over the country. I would happily relocate anywhere for the role that I want!

I currently volunteer in a similar role to the one that I want, working for a charity near to where I live-I’ll obviously have to leave this as well. The charity that I would be applying to aren’t taking on volunteers at the moment, so I can’t volunteer with them in the role that I want whilst working for them in their call centre.

I know this entire post sounds like I’m counting my chickens before they’ve hatched, but I really don’t want to annoy this charity’s HR department by applying for a role which I then turn down.

Flyonthewall

How many times have you applied?

Working within the charity already may give you a slight advantage, but if you're not getting to the interview stage now there's a reason for it and that reason is most likely still going to be there.

It could be due to location, in which case you'd need to show you're willing to relocate. It could be something else, or a few things.

Perhaps you'd do best looking over your application and seeing if it can be improved. Get someone else to look it over too as it always helps to have a second opinion.

As for this other job, you could apply and see if you actually get an interview first. Then you can start thinking about it more and if it's worth it - no point if you can't get that job either.

Claude_Money

I’ve lost track of the number of times. Vacancies don’t come up very often but when they do I apply. I always get the same member of my family to look over my application; maybe a different pair of eyes would be good.

I’ve thought that location may be one of the reasons. At least if I got this call centre job I would be living in the same city as one of their offices, though it’s probably the least likely to have vacancies in the role that I want. It is possible to commute from where I live to their call centre (If I drove) so they may not think my location is an issue when it comes to the call centre role.

I would apply then decide but I’m worried about annoying the charity’s HR department!

custardy

Claude_Money wrote: »

I’ve lost track of the number of times. Vacancies don’t come up very often but when they do I apply. I always get the same member of my family to look over my application; maybe a different pair of eyes would be good.

I’ve thought that location may be one of the reasons. At least if I got this call centre job I would be living in the same city as one of their offices, though it’s probably the least likely to have vacancies in the role that I want. It is possible to commute from where I live to their call centre (If I drove) so they may not think my location is an issue when it comes to the call centre role.

I would apply then decide but I’m worried about annoying the charity’s HR department!

What if you simply dont measure up to what they are looking for?
Given you are working,it doesnt seem a good move to drop wage and relocate on the off chance of getting a job you arent getting to interview on now.

Flyonthewall

Claude_Money wrote: »

I’ve lost track of the number of times. Vacancies don’t come up very often but when they do I apply. I always get the same member of my family to look over my application; maybe a different pair of eyes would be good.

I’ve thought that location may be one of the reasons. At least if I got this call centre job I would be living in the same city as one of their offices, though it’s probably the least likely to have vacancies in the role that I want. It is possible to commute from where I live to their call centre (If I drove) so they may not think my location is an issue when it comes to the call centre role.

I would apply then decide but I’m worried about annoying the charity’s HR department!

When it comes to location they'll want you to be near the place you'll be working. It doesn't matter if you're near one of their other offices if you're not going there.

If it's that many I'd certainly assume it's more than just location. The fact you keep applying would suggest you really want it and they're fairly likely to have noticed your name a few times.

Certainly get someone else to look over it. Perhaps consider changing your application as well. You never know, even if it looks perfectly fine they may just prefer a different layout (assuming it's a CV you're sending, not an application created by them) or it could be the wording. Everyone prefers a different way of setting out a CV so doesn't hurt to switch things around a bit and try again.

Far as annoying HR goes, you've applied for the same thing numerous times. They're probably going to get 100's of applications. They're not going to care about one more.

theoretica

Have you asked them for feedback on your application? As they didn't invite you to interview it will be pretty basic, but they may be able to say something, such as whether you were close to being shortlisted or not.

Claude_Money

They say that they’re unable to provide feedback.

custardy wrote: »

What if you simply dont measure up to what they are looking for?
Given you are working,it doesnt seem a good move to drop wage and relocate on the off chance of getting a job you arent getting to interview on now.

In my heart of hearts I think I already know this, but to be honest I’m miserable in my current job and generally just feel stuck; I’m just living for the one day of the week that I get to volunteer doing what I love.

Flyonthewall wrote: »

Far as annoying HR goes, you've applied for the same thing numerous times. They're probably going to get 100's of applications. They're not going to care about one more.

Sorry I didn’t make myself very clear. I meant annoying them by applying, but then deciding I don’t want that job after all. I also still think that I would annoy them if I took a job in the call centre, and then applied for the role that I really want

Flyonthewall

Claude_Money wrote: »

In my heart of hearts I think I already know this, but to be honest I’m miserable in my current job and generally just feel stuck; I’m just living for the one day of the week that I get to volunteer doing what I love.

There are other jobs out there. I think rather than focusing just on this one company you need to look for other jobs. You may find others that you'd really enjoy, I'm sure that there's other good jobs out there than just this one.

You could still work towards one day working for that company, but for now you need to consider others. You never know, you may find one that's even better.

Sorry I didn’t make myself very clear. I meant annoying them by applying, but then deciding I don’t want that job after all. I also still think that I would annoy them if I took a job in the call centre, and then applied for the role that I really want

They'll interview a few people for the job so they'd just offer it to the next person. They may be slightly annoyed if you were obviously the best but in the end they'd still have someone. That's assuming you got that far. Any point before then wouldn't really matter.

That's assuming you did then decide you didn't want that job. If you did want it that wouldn't be an issue and there's nothing wrong with trying to change roles later on.

hcb42

Getting foot in door is not a path to promotion

How are your skills aligned to the role you actually want is the key here

Claude_Money

hcb42 wrote: »

Getting foot in door is not a path to promotion

How are your skills aligned to the role you actually want is the key here

The role that I want isn’t a promotion from working in the call centre. I have lots of voluntary experience in this role and (to my mind) I meet all the requirements in the person specification.

Thanks Flyonthewall.

jaydeeuk1

You're enthusiastic. How many days holiday you have left in current job? Can always ring up the charity, try and get through to someone senior, say you really want to work for them, and to prove you're good offer to work a week for free (or covered by your holiday pay) and see if they'll either employ you immediately or promise to give you the next position that becomes available. Also lets you see if the job is as good as you imagined it.