'Applied' for position after deadline. Competition not happy. 26 July 2022 at 8:06PM edited 26 July 2022 at 8:12PM in Employment, jobseeking & training 15 replies 1.4K views

Adamc

Hi 

There's an opportunity at my workplace and I wasn't sure if to 'express interest' or not. In the meantime I've spent some time shadowing people in the role and decided to go for it. There's 4 other candidates who are unhappy that I've expressed interest after the deadline. None of them have taken the chance to shadow/get experience which I would have thought is a must to show motivation and better understand the role. 

- I missed the deadline to 'express interest' in an upcoming position. I was on annual leave during the deadline but that's no excuse - I knew about it the week before and all we had to do was say if interested (the email about the opportunity was vague, informal, and not very clear on many counts). Perhaps I should have said there and thenI was interested but I had to really consider what direction I want my career to take as this would limit future opportunities as I'd need to commit. 

-I've since got some experience which has given me insight and I am interested.
-Others interested are unhappy about this late revelation.
-Although management gave a tight deadline to respond the process has stalled and nobody has heard back (including me - so I may not even have an interview). 

Fair or foul?

74jax

Doesn't really matter what we think. You've expressed the interest, it's up to management what they do now.

Don't worry about other people and their thoughts. 

Grumpy_chap

Adamc said:

Hi 

There's an opportunity at my workplace and I wasn't sure if to 'express interest' or not. In the meantime I've spent some time shadowing people in the role and decided to go for it. There's 4 other candidates who are unhappy that I've expressed interest after the deadline. None of them have taken the chance to shadow/get experience which I would have thought is a must to show motivation and better understand the role. 

- I missed the deadline to 'express interest' in an upcoming position. I was on annual leave during the deadline but that's no excuse - I knew about it the week before and all we had to do was say if interested (the email about the opportunity was vague, informal, and not very clear on many counts). Perhaps I should have said there and thenI was interested but I had to really consider what direction I want my career to take as this would limit future opportunities as I'd need to commit. 

-I've since got some experience which has given me insight and I am interested.
-Others interested are unhappy about this late revelation.
-Although management gave a tight deadline to respond the process has stalled and nobody has heard back (including me - so I may not even have an interview). 

Fair or foul?

Ignore anyone else and their thoughts or gossip.

Whether to apply the deadline or let is waive is entirely up to Management and not your control or responsibility.

You expressed an interest and heard nothing back - maybe they will never provide you any response if they determine your interest was invalid.

If you are the one they want for the role in any case, I am sure they will find a way to interpret the rules to suit the outcome the business wants.

400ixl

There really isn't a real deadline, the business will want to get the best person for the job. They will assess a late applicant and decide if it is worth bringing them into the process. If they feel it is then they will.

Simple answer to others is that if they are the right person for the job they will get it regardless.

You can only look after yourself, so good luck.

Dakta

Basically a repeat of the above, the business set the deadline but whats binding about it? If they see value in including you in the process albeit after the deadline what issue exactly is it, and what grounds would it be on? things change in business why would the business comit to a potentially bad choice on the back of a deadline that they set and control?

The next question on my mind is - if they don't like the fact you are being considered, what exactly are they going to do about it?

They might decide they no longer like you - is this likely to be of any consequence? 

Not hitting the deadline is potentially a bad indicator, so be prepared for it to be but if it turns out it isn't then what can anyone do about it?

There may be some social impact depending if you work with these people or not but officially I don't see the problem. You may want to think about how they came to know.

General advice is worry less about what the posse think. There is much bigger fish  to fry.

TELLIT01

You applied 'late' and management have accepted you application.  There is no reason to discuss it with other staff members.  If they have a problem with you application being accepted they need to take it up with management.

Marcon

TELLIT01 said:

You applied 'late' and management have accepted you application.  There is no reason to discuss it with other staff members.  If they have a problem with you application being accepted they need to take it up with management.

....or might take it out on you if you're appointed.

What does it matter what anyone here thinks? You've already done it, so 'views' are totally irrelevant to anything.

TheJP

Have management actually accepted your application as in confirm receipt of it? For me the fact you couldn't meet a deadline to express interest would be a red flag in its self. Can understand the frustrations of others but its not up to them as others have said. 

elsien

What they said. ^^.

Doesn’t say a lot about your organisational skills or motivation if you can’t hit the application deadline. 

tightauldgit

Deadlines are meaningless. They want the right person for the job. Other people can moan if they want.

tifo

tightauldgit said:

Deadlines are meaningless. They want the right person for the job.

Deadlines should be stuck to. Otherwise it is unfair on those who made the effort to stick within the time.

In most larger and corporate and govt organisations the deadlines are strict.