Would you skip a step up the promotion ladder, if you could?

February 16, 2009 6:48 PM

Would you apply for a job you felt underqualified for, even if it meant essentially skipping a step up the promotion ladder? Pros & cons inside. [On preview, wow, it's a day for job application questions!]

I just discovered a job opening. The application deadline is rapidly approaching (uh, tomorrow!). I'm thinking of applying but have some doubts.

Getting the job would essentially mean skipping a step up the ladder. I got a promotion at my current job about two months ago. The next step up from this new position would be the job I'm considering applying for. It could benefit from me gaining some skills and experience in the job I just stepped into. Apply now, or not?

Reasons to apply --
* Nothing ventured, nothing gained; life is short; carpe diem; etc.
* It's the hiring committee's job to decide whether I'm qualified or not. Why give up without trying?
* It'd be a great career move, closer to my core interests, and at a higher level of responsibility.
* Most people in leadership positions probably felt over their head when they first got the job, right? People often spend the first month or so rapidly learning either new content or new areas of responsibility, right?
* My current job is okay, but with a shift in leadership, my interests and strongest skills (and my old department) are now somewhat outside the company's core focus. The promotion puts me in the favored department, where I'll strengthen other skills, so that's good. But the difference in interests means I might still not get much support or the most exciting opportunities. The new job would be a great match for those interests.

Reasons not to apply --
* The new job would really benefit from the skills that I will be strengthening in this new role I just stepped into. Should I just wait six months, get some accomplishments and experience under my belt, and hope that this position is still unfilled or gets re-opened?
* If I look underqualified on paper, will people remember that and look less favorably on future applications?
* I might look more qualified on paper than I really am. If I got the job, I'm afraid I wouldn't quite know what I'm doing and could let people down.
* How do I explain my desire to leave right after getting a promotion? Does that look disloyal or just ...weird? I wouldn't highlight it, but I wouldn't obfuscate it either.

posted by anonymous to work & money (14 comments total)

Apply. I've been underqualified for virtually every job for which I've ever been hired. Even someone who meets every single qualification listed will still have some adjustment to do and things to learn when in a new position. You may have qualities that make you the person who they are looking for- focus on your stregnths and why you want the job and would be good at it.
posted by emd3737 at 6:58 PM on February 16 [1 favorite]

short answer yes,

If only for the insight as to what employers are really looking for to move you up to the next level, almost all of my job applications were for jobs that I was a little under qualified for.
posted by kanemano at 7:01 PM on February 16

Agreed, go for it.
posted by Simon Barclay at 7:29 PM on February 16 [1 favorite]

Yes. I don't think it would hurt you in the future, either. Say you don't get hired. It will probably be for two reasons:

1) They just don't like you for the position. I doubt this will change no matter how much experience you gain.

2) They like you, but you don't have the experience. Next time the job opens up they'll remember this and you'll already have one foot in the door.

So I think it can't possibly hurt!
posted by sbutler at 7:37 PM on February 16

My current job is okay, but with a shift in leadership, my interests and strongest skills (and my old department) are now somewhat outside the company's core focus. The promotion puts me in the favored department, where I'll strengthen other skills, so that's good. But the difference in interests means I might still not get much support or the most exciting opportunities. The new job would be a great match for those interests.

You nailed it right there. Any good manager should respect that regardless of a recent promotion. It would be a different case if you were just hired into a position 2 months ago from outside. The interviewers will ask the exact question you're worried about but I think your answer shows that you're very mature and have thought a lot about the new position, how it benefits your company and yourself as a whole.
posted by junesix at 7:42 PM on February 16

Apply Apply Apply!

You are doing yourself a favor whether you end up getting the job or not.

First, show those fools why they should take a leap and hire someone who believes lifelong learning is not just an alliterative catch-phrase but a tool for managers to use to strengthen their production base without recruitment. Basically, present yourself as an incentive to prevent turnover by saying how you will work within their strategy and make sure you do not become entrenched by looking for better ways to do the same job and teaching these new skills widely.

Second, you'll psyche yourself up to be your best for the interview because you want to:

1. Surpass your own timidity early! You are not a mouse- You are a MONSTER!!!
2. Build a marketing case for you: Anonymous could easily do this job because it's closer to his/her core interests. Meaning: "This is a job I want to come in early to do."

Third, you are your own means of success:

1. Don't think of yourself as the purveyor of a resume. That is only a piece of paper. Think of yourself as carrying a magnificent origami crane that has you written all over its sides. You want to walk into that interview and be able to unfold your experience until all they see is you and not a piece of paper. Then, make the crane again, building on your statements quickly to show your ability as a builder and activator.

Fourth, it's not bad to want to know more. Reach out to mentors within the organization and seek knowledge you need. Don't present it as "I don't know" but instead as "I want your advice about the processes you use."
posted by parmanparman at 7:42 PM on February 16 [1 favorite]

Any question that relates to a job that starts with "should I apply for..." has an answer in the affirmative. Honestly, no one's going to bother hating you for applying. They'll just never look at your resume. If they do look at your resume, then you win.
posted by saeculorum at 7:46 PM on February 16

Have you ever worked with someone who just "didn't belong". You couldn't put your finger on it...and you kept thinking "what is up with this dude?".

But after a while, you forgot about that feeling. The person was doing just fine, and you chalked it up to FNG syndrome. You know what that was...that person was underqualified, but learned soon enough how to fit in.

NBD. Be that guy. OWN IT. Then have the others forget about it. Problem solved...and you're higher than you thought you would be.

Good luck.

PS. I don't know if you find this helpful or not, but I would appreciate a PM from you telling me what happened in the end. I'm really curious.
posted by hal_c_on at 7:56 PM on February 16

I apologize ahead of time if this comes across as sexist; it's not at all intended that way.

If you're female, go for it. Women tend to doubt themselves, especially at work and at school, when they really ARE as qualified as the other people applying for the position. The other people applying for the job aren't perfectly qualified either, but (most of) the men figure they'll make it work anyway, and they're right.

OTOH, if you're a guy... well, I'd still say go for it. There's a greater chance that if you're doubting you really can do the job that you're right, but hell, that's up for the hiring committee to decide and it's unlikely that you'll be thought of unfavorable in the future. You'll be thought of as someone who had goals and was willing to go for them.

I know these are stereotypes, but I think they have some truth to them.

And I'm answering ask MeFi questions past my bedtime.
posted by INTPLibrarian at 8:34 PM on February 16 [1 favorite]

Go for it—but be prepared that you might be in over your head to begin with. I did something similar with my first job out of college (from nada to one-person department in no time) and found that I had reached beyond what I was prepared for. I'm glad I did it, but I wish I'd been better prepared.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:32 PM on February 16

Here's something I've learned over the years... NEVER turn down a job until after it's been offered to you. Apply, interview, sell yourself, learn from the experience. If you don't get it, learn from the experience. You might develop new goals for where you want to take yourself next. Always push yourself forward... if there are things you don't know, you can learn them.

Sometimes it's a blessing to learn to swim by jumping into a pool... you don't have time to think about the stuff you don't know so you learn twice as fast. Learning on the job is usually the best way.

I agree also that if you're a woman it's more likely in your nature to doubt yourself. Been through that myself, and I have regrets about the opportunities I was offered that I thought I had no place going for. In retrospect the only person who didn't believe in me was me.
posted by miss lynnster at 10:47 PM on February 16 [4 favorites]

Apply, but do so knowing that if you get the job the financial offer will probably be at the lowest end of the scale. It's still worth it, but know that you'll need to renegotiate salary in the future.
posted by 26.2 at 11:19 PM on February 16

I'm with everyone who says go for it, and in particular wanted to address How do I explain my desire to leave right after getting a promotion? You're not leaving, you're applying for a position that you feel will better suit your skills and experiences and in which you think you'll be even more of an asset to the company.

And no boss you want to work for is going to hold it against you that you're trying to get promoted, even right after a promotion. So put in your resume, nail the interview, and if they don't like you, hunker down and prove to them that they were short-sighted, and you'll get the next one.
posted by Etrigan at 3:34 AM on February 17

I read your question and wondered why this was even a question. Apply! Do it! Your worries are silly and unfounded!

Then... I realized that I sometimes think myself into these same situations. It´s nice to know I´m not alone in this. I´m not sure how you can not worry about it, but once you go ahead and do it you will be done with worrying.
posted by yohko at 9:50 AM on February 17