Informal chat for a job I haven't applied for

FashionHeart

Hi Everyone :wave:

At the beginning of this year, I had found myself to be unemployed and made a few Speculative Applications.
Long story short a few people responded and I eventually accepted a job with one of them.
However an employer has suddenly decided to respond today and invited me to have an informal chat about a potential job they are not advertising - and they are not even hiring. :think:
This particular employer did respond after sending applications and did call me however as I said I did accept a job offer so I originally told him I was no longer interested. But then I advised him that I may call back next year.

When I called him today, he reiterated again that my CV looked impressive and that he thinks I will be a great fit to his team and he's very eager to meet me. :shocked:

Oh and by the way I am leaving my current position because it's for maternity cover and the girl came back to the office full time.

Can anyone please give me some advice about this - any personal experiences from anyone? :huh:

sangie595

What have you got to lose? You are going to be out of work. If he doesn't want you, you are still out of work. If he does, you aren't. Seems obvious to me. Why are you hesitating?

FashionHeart

sangie595 wrote: »

What have you got to lose? You are going to be out of work. If he doesn't want you, you are still out of work. If he does, you aren't. Seems obvious to me. Why are you hesitating?

I am just worried I won't get the job because that is the obvious worst case scenario!
I'm making myself ill thinking about it :exclamati

steampowered

Lots of people get recruited for jobs that aren't advertised or aren't yet formal openings.

It may mean that the person you are speaking to would like to hire you, but needs to get budget approval to formally create the position.

I'd say it is definitely worth speaking to this person. I would treat it like any other job interview. It doesn't cost you anything and might result in a job.

Madbags

Just go for it, as Sangie says what have you got to lose.


The new job I'm starting in November was a speculative application even though I'm already in a secure job. He was only looking for someone part time and I sent my stuff off saying if anything full time comes up please keep me in mind.


He decided that actually, he could cater for someone full time and my CV was too impressive to just let me slip through the net. Much the same as you.

ReadingTim

First thing to say is that it's not just an 'informal chat' - it's still a job interview (even if the 'job' isn't quite defined yet), so treat it as such. Do you homework on the company, dress up smartly, know your CV inside out, be careful with your answers etc just as you would for any proper interview. That said, be yourself (or your work 'self') - they're primarily looking to see if you're the sort of person who would 'fit in' and they'd get on with in the workplace - rather than whether you tick all the boxes on the job description (because that doesn't exist!)

Next, don't expect to get all the answers as to what the 'job' entails - it's not set in stone, and they might not yet have decided, worked out quite what they want you to do, or what you'd be best at. If the thought of that freaks you out, this isn't for you.

Finally, be aware that the 'job' might not materialise at all: whilst the line manager might want to hire someone else, it might be canned by more senior management, HR etc. There might not be the budget for it after all. Even if there is, it might take ages to get approved. So don't put all your hopes into this, as it might not come off, or at least not in the timescales you want or need it to. So don't put off more definite roles in the hope that this one happens - it might not. Similarly, they might meet you face to face and decide you're not what they're looking for. And there's nothing you can do about that!

If you're happy with all of that, go for it. If anything freaks you about it, this sort of recruitment/opportunity probably isn't for you.

DCFC79

Just go for it, if you don't go for it you will kick yourself about what could have been etc.

andygb

FashionHeart wrote: »

I am just worried I won't get the job because that is the obvious worst case scenario!
I'm making myself ill thinking about it :exclamati

Don't wind yourself up so much. Just calm down and go for the chat. Don't expect anything to happen, but do treat it as a kind of interview.
So, turn up confident, smart and on your toes.

Good luck!

[Deleted User]

FashionHeart wrote: »

I am just worried I won't get the job because that is the obvious worst case scenario!

Do you think you're more likely to get the job if you don't go for the chat?

[Deleted User]

FashionHeart wrote: »

Can anyone please give me some advice about this - any personal experiences from anyone? :huh:

By most means - go

Throughly research the company - if you can get a feel for how many job advert's they put out there etc, all the better.

Check job duration, if you've temp'd - you could be an easy target.
Equally which CV are they working off? The one from new year or today.

You mention the 'employer' but no level - are you speaking with senior management/owner?

I'm asking because it could well be you are seen as, Lord forgive me, 'easy money' - some companies offer internal recruitment finder pay outs - and what could be large sums :eek: - for existing employees, to simply get others in. Which in turn you could end up feeling guilty or under pressure about if you decide the job isn't for you?

I'm sorry OP it sounds weird the way you have put it in your post and I'd be mindful of a scam and the above worse if there actually isn't any vacancies.

With enough jobs out there, I'm not sure why you need speculative applications unless you've a really unique skill set so I'd greatly apologise of course if this is the case. Surely best to be in control with you making the application to a valid job. Though I actually think it is scarily crazy out there at the moment in the recruitment & employment scene so just be careful as to motives.

FashionHeart

Deleted%20User wrote: »

With enough jobs out there, I'm not sure why you need speculative applications unless you've a really unique skill set so I'd greatly apologise of course if this is the case. Surely best to be in control with you making the application to a valid job. Though I actually think it is scarily crazy out there at the moment in the recruitment & employment scene so just be careful as to motives.

Thank you for the reply.

Not exactly true though; this was exactly how I got the job (the maternity cover contract) in the first place.
Also sometimes it depends on luck and circumstances because when I went to the interview they just gave me the job because one of their staff decided to leave and return to their home country (she was American).

Well some and probably most people make speculative applications because they don't know if the company is hiring. The saying goes really here - what you don't know and ask, you probably don't get!