Apply for the more qualified job or wait?
Discussion
There's a company advertising a job I might be interested in. Initially they were advertising just an electrician job which I was going to go for, but left it too late to apply for, now they only have up an opening for a chief electrician.
The only problem is I'm not sure if I'm a) qualified enough, or b) want the extra responsibility. It says the chief electrician has to supervise the electrican, but reading the details of both of the job descriptions, they seem to be pretty much identical, so even though it says supervise, it in real terms only means you'll be responsible for whatever tasks it is you're both assigned to, I'm assuming?
Also, the qualifications it states needed are Degree OR high school diploma, it's an international company, but I would think that my GCSE's and stuff like my two HNC's, one ONC and 7 years worth of NVQ's and work based training would be higher than just a high school diploma?
I'm unsure if I should put in the for the job, and hope either I get an interview based on my experience and qualifications, or they consider me for a lower role, even though they're not advertising for it anymore, or wether I should just bide my time and wait for the electrician job to come up again in the future? I can understand them knocking me back for the job because I don't have the degree, but anyone think it could harm my chances of applying again in the future, or are they just going to think I'm a knob?
Cheers
The only problem is I'm not sure if I'm a) qualified enough, or b) want the extra responsibility. It says the chief electrician has to supervise the electrican, but reading the details of both of the job descriptions, they seem to be pretty much identical, so even though it says supervise, it in real terms only means you'll be responsible for whatever tasks it is you're both assigned to, I'm assuming?
Also, the qualifications it states needed are Degree OR high school diploma, it's an international company, but I would think that my GCSE's and stuff like my two HNC's, one ONC and 7 years worth of NVQ's and work based training would be higher than just a high school diploma?
I'm unsure if I should put in the for the job, and hope either I get an interview based on my experience and qualifications, or they consider me for a lower role, even though they're not advertising for it anymore, or wether I should just bide my time and wait for the electrician job to come up again in the future? I can understand them knocking me back for the job because I don't have the degree, but anyone think it could harm my chances of applying again in the future, or are they just going to think I'm a knob?
Cheers
The first question is one you've already posted - do you want / are you ready for extra responsibility and management? Is that how you might like your career to go? Do you think it would further your career? It is important that you're honest with yourself about this question before you do anything else. If it is not for you, or you wouldn't like it, then don't do it.
If it IS for you, then there is nothing else stopping you now. Getting a bit of good luck to obtain a managerial position is not that hard in my experience.
Take me as an example. Back in 2000, I was a qualified printing industry technical bloke. Around this time, we had an influx of new technology into the firm, plus a change of management. I could see people and processes were going to get streamlined, and if I just carried on as I was, there was a good chance of redundancy.
Part of the changes involved a new managerial position coming up too, which was for overseeing my department and the new computerised technology being installed. So despite working on permanent night shifts, I came into the factory every afternoon ahead of my night shift to learn about and train up on all the new kit being installed, from the tech guys putting it all in. Ok, this enthusiasm was probably noted by the senior staff, but all it cost me was a couple of weeks of sacrificed afternoons.
When the new managerial position was finally advertised, despite never having managed much more than the cooking of a roast dinner, I applied for the role.
I had no previous managerial team or product experience, like you, so what I did was sit down and have a really good think about times in my life when I had headed up or lead a situation. I came up with things like one or two family crises where I'd taken a lead and initiative to overcome a problem, or when I'd taken charge of a team of drivers on a Go-Karting evening, formed a strategy, delegated parts of the strategy to people, and then we'd gone on to win the event.
Management experience can come from all kinds of life issues and problems - not necessarily in the workplace.
I was already very technically conversant with my industry, as I guess you are - so when I added this little focus study I had done on 'life management skills' at the interview, plus a bit of keen-ness and enthusiasm, well it saw me get the job.
And everyone else was amazed, because there were two other candidates with way more managerial experience than I had, one of whom everyone assumed would get the role with no questions asked. When I was awarded the role though over them, everyone was quite shocked!
But it shows that you can demonstrate ability and managerial / leadership skills, without necessarily having what you might deem 'immediately obvious' workplace experience in that field, if you are creative and think laterally about how to best present yourself. Know what I mean?
And it gave me a leg-up, a stepping-stone into management, for which I was grateful. I then spent an awful lot of my own time and money on studying, books and seminars, to learn how to manage, delegate and motivate teams of people effectively, without pissing people off and getting what was required done. There is a necessity for this - good management is a skill and a vocation in itself. Well, it is if you want people to respect and respond positively to you, and not treat you like a jumped-up, mini Hitler anyway
Within 5 years, I was circulating within the sphere of senior management, responsible for huge amounts of people, teams, factories and budgets at a variety of different manufacturing plants. All of which I enjoyed immensely, and was, if I do say so myself, pretty good at!
But that success was all down to seeing a single opportunity like you've seen, and planning, acting upon it and getting it against some odds. Yes, looking back, there was an element of blag and bluster to gain the position - but I made sure I worked hard to learn and give it everything I had once I had bagged it - and it ended up being one of the most pivotal moves of my life.
So - go for it!!!
And let us know how you get on...
If it IS for you, then there is nothing else stopping you now. Getting a bit of good luck to obtain a managerial position is not that hard in my experience.
Take me as an example. Back in 2000, I was a qualified printing industry technical bloke. Around this time, we had an influx of new technology into the firm, plus a change of management. I could see people and processes were going to get streamlined, and if I just carried on as I was, there was a good chance of redundancy.
Part of the changes involved a new managerial position coming up too, which was for overseeing my department and the new computerised technology being installed. So despite working on permanent night shifts, I came into the factory every afternoon ahead of my night shift to learn about and train up on all the new kit being installed, from the tech guys putting it all in. Ok, this enthusiasm was probably noted by the senior staff, but all it cost me was a couple of weeks of sacrificed afternoons.
When the new managerial position was finally advertised, despite never having managed much more than the cooking of a roast dinner, I applied for the role.
I had no previous managerial team or product experience, like you, so what I did was sit down and have a really good think about times in my life when I had headed up or lead a situation. I came up with things like one or two family crises where I'd taken a lead and initiative to overcome a problem, or when I'd taken charge of a team of drivers on a Go-Karting evening, formed a strategy, delegated parts of the strategy to people, and then we'd gone on to win the event.
Management experience can come from all kinds of life issues and problems - not necessarily in the workplace.
I was already very technically conversant with my industry, as I guess you are - so when I added this little focus study I had done on 'life management skills' at the interview, plus a bit of keen-ness and enthusiasm, well it saw me get the job.
And everyone else was amazed, because there were two other candidates with way more managerial experience than I had, one of whom everyone assumed would get the role with no questions asked. When I was awarded the role though over them, everyone was quite shocked!
But it shows that you can demonstrate ability and managerial / leadership skills, without necessarily having what you might deem 'immediately obvious' workplace experience in that field, if you are creative and think laterally about how to best present yourself. Know what I mean?
And it gave me a leg-up, a stepping-stone into management, for which I was grateful. I then spent an awful lot of my own time and money on studying, books and seminars, to learn how to manage, delegate and motivate teams of people effectively, without pissing people off and getting what was required done. There is a necessity for this - good management is a skill and a vocation in itself. Well, it is if you want people to respect and respond positively to you, and not treat you like a jumped-up, mini Hitler anyway
Within 5 years, I was circulating within the sphere of senior management, responsible for huge amounts of people, teams, factories and budgets at a variety of different manufacturing plants. All of which I enjoyed immensely, and was, if I do say so myself, pretty good at!
But that success was all down to seeing a single opportunity like you've seen, and planning, acting upon it and getting it against some odds. Yes, looking back, there was an element of blag and bluster to gain the position - but I made sure I worked hard to learn and give it everything I had once I had bagged it - and it ended up being one of the most pivotal moves of my life.
So - go for it!!!
And let us know how you get on...
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
The first question is one you've already posted - do you want / are you ready for extra responsibility and management? Is that how you might like your career to go? Do you think it would further your career? It is important that you're honest with yourself about this question before you do anything else. If it is not for you, or you wouldn't like it, then don't do it.
If it IS for you, then there is nothing else stopping you now. Getting a bit of good luck to obtain a managerial position is not that hard in my experience.
Take me as an example. Back in 2000, I was a qualified printing industry technical bloke. Around this time, we had an influx of new technology into the firm, plus a change of management. I could see people and processes were going to get streamlined, and if I just carried on as I was, there was a good chance of redundancy.
Part of the changes involved a new managerial position coming up too, which was for overseeing my department and the new computerised technology being installed. So despite working on permanent night shifts, I came into the factory every afternoon ahead of my night shift to learn about and train up on all the new kit being installed, from the tech guys putting it all in. Ok, this enthusiasm was probably noted by the senior staff, but all it cost me was a couple of weeks of sacrificed afternoons.
When the new managerial position was finally advertised, despite never having managed much more than the cooking of a roast dinner, I applied for the role.
I had no previous managerial team or product experience, like you, so what I did was sit down and have a really good think about times in my life when I had headed up or lead a situation. I came up with things like one or two family crises where I'd taken a lead and initiative to overcome a problem, or when I'd taken charge of a team of drivers on a Go-Karting evening, formed a strategy, delegated parts of the strategy to people, and then we'd gone on to win the event.
Management experience can come from all kinds of life issues and problems - not necessarily in the workplace.
I was already very technically conversant with my industry, as I guess you are - so when I added this little focus study I had done on 'life management skills' at the interview, plus a bit of keen-ness and enthusiasm, well it saw me get the job.
And everyone else was amazed, because there were two other candidates with way more managerial experience than I had, one of whom everyone assumed would get the role with no questions asked. When I was awarded the role though over them, everyone was quite shocked!
But it shows that you can demonstrate ability and managerial / leadership skills, without necessarily having what you might deem 'immediately obvious' workplace experience in that field, if you are creative and think laterally about how to best present yourself. Know what I mean?
And it gave me a leg-up, a stepping-stone into management, for which I was grateful. I then spent an awful lot of my own time and money on studying, books and seminars, to learn how to manage, delegate and motivate teams of people effectively, without pissing people off and getting what was required done. There is a necessity for this - good management is a skill and a vocation in itself. Well, it is if you want people to respect and respond positively to you, and not treat you like a jumped-up, mini Hitler anyway
Within 5 years, I was circulating within the sphere of senior management, responsible for huge amounts of people, teams, factories and budgets at a variety of different manufacturing plants. All of which I enjoyed immensely, and was, if I do say so myself, pretty good at!
But that success was all down to seeing a single opportunity like you've seen, and planning, acting upon it and getting it against some odds. Yes, looking back, there was an element of blag and bluster to gain the position - but I made sure I worked hard to learn and give it everything I had once I had bagged it - and it ended up being one of the most pivotal moves of my life.
So - go for it!!!
And let us know how you get on...
And That Comrades, is the American Dream! (Only joking, good on ya for putting in the ground work and working you way up!)If it IS for you, then there is nothing else stopping you now. Getting a bit of good luck to obtain a managerial position is not that hard in my experience.
Take me as an example. Back in 2000, I was a qualified printing industry technical bloke. Around this time, we had an influx of new technology into the firm, plus a change of management. I could see people and processes were going to get streamlined, and if I just carried on as I was, there was a good chance of redundancy.
Part of the changes involved a new managerial position coming up too, which was for overseeing my department and the new computerised technology being installed. So despite working on permanent night shifts, I came into the factory every afternoon ahead of my night shift to learn about and train up on all the new kit being installed, from the tech guys putting it all in. Ok, this enthusiasm was probably noted by the senior staff, but all it cost me was a couple of weeks of sacrificed afternoons.
When the new managerial position was finally advertised, despite never having managed much more than the cooking of a roast dinner, I applied for the role.
I had no previous managerial team or product experience, like you, so what I did was sit down and have a really good think about times in my life when I had headed up or lead a situation. I came up with things like one or two family crises where I'd taken a lead and initiative to overcome a problem, or when I'd taken charge of a team of drivers on a Go-Karting evening, formed a strategy, delegated parts of the strategy to people, and then we'd gone on to win the event.
Management experience can come from all kinds of life issues and problems - not necessarily in the workplace.
I was already very technically conversant with my industry, as I guess you are - so when I added this little focus study I had done on 'life management skills' at the interview, plus a bit of keen-ness and enthusiasm, well it saw me get the job.
And everyone else was amazed, because there were two other candidates with way more managerial experience than I had, one of whom everyone assumed would get the role with no questions asked. When I was awarded the role though over them, everyone was quite shocked!
But it shows that you can demonstrate ability and managerial / leadership skills, without necessarily having what you might deem 'immediately obvious' workplace experience in that field, if you are creative and think laterally about how to best present yourself. Know what I mean?
And it gave me a leg-up, a stepping-stone into management, for which I was grateful. I then spent an awful lot of my own time and money on studying, books and seminars, to learn how to manage, delegate and motivate teams of people effectively, without pissing people off and getting what was required done. There is a necessity for this - good management is a skill and a vocation in itself. Well, it is if you want people to respect and respond positively to you, and not treat you like a jumped-up, mini Hitler anyway
Within 5 years, I was circulating within the sphere of senior management, responsible for huge amounts of people, teams, factories and budgets at a variety of different manufacturing plants. All of which I enjoyed immensely, and was, if I do say so myself, pretty good at!
But that success was all down to seeing a single opportunity like you've seen, and planning, acting upon it and getting it against some odds. Yes, looking back, there was an element of blag and bluster to gain the position - but I made sure I worked hard to learn and give it everything I had once I had bagged it - and it ended up being one of the most pivotal moves of my life.
So - go for it!!!
And let us know how you get on...
KingNothing said:
There's a company advertising a job I might be interested in. Initially they were advertising just an electrician job which I was going to go for, but left it too late to apply for, now they only have up an opening for a chief electrician.
The only problem is I'm not sure if I'm a) qualified enough, or b) want the extra responsibility. It says the chief electrician has to supervise the electrican, but reading the details of both of the job descriptions, they seem to be pretty much identical, so even though it says supervise, it in real terms only means you'll be responsible for whatever tasks it is you're both assigned to, I'm assuming?
Also, the qualifications it states needed are Degree OR high school diploma, it's an international company, but I would think that my GCSE's and stuff like my two HNC's, one ONC and 7 years worth of NVQ's and work based training would be higher than just a high school diploma?
I'm unsure if I should put in the for the job, and hope either I get an interview based on my experience and qualifications, or they consider me for a lower role, even though they're not advertising for it anymore, or wether I should just bide my time and wait for the electrician job to come up again in the future? I can understand them knocking me back for the job because I don't have the degree, but anyone think it could harm my chances of applying again in the future, or are they just going to think I'm a knob?
Cheers
WTF is a high school diploma? do they mean an HND? Im sure you know its nothing to do with school and it certainly wouldnt be equivalent to a Degree.The only problem is I'm not sure if I'm a) qualified enough, or b) want the extra responsibility. It says the chief electrician has to supervise the electrican, but reading the details of both of the job descriptions, they seem to be pretty much identical, so even though it says supervise, it in real terms only means you'll be responsible for whatever tasks it is you're both assigned to, I'm assuming?
Also, the qualifications it states needed are Degree OR high school diploma, it's an international company, but I would think that my GCSE's and stuff like my two HNC's, one ONC and 7 years worth of NVQ's and work based training would be higher than just a high school diploma?
I'm unsure if I should put in the for the job, and hope either I get an interview based on my experience and qualifications, or they consider me for a lower role, even though they're not advertising for it anymore, or wether I should just bide my time and wait for the electrician job to come up again in the future? I can understand them knocking me back for the job because I don't have the degree, but anyone think it could harm my chances of applying again in the future, or are they just going to think I'm a knob?
Cheers
phumy said:
WTF is a high school diploma? do they mean an HND? Im sure you know its nothing to do with school and it certainly wouldnt be equivalent to a Degree.
It's an American company, so I was just assuming that's the type of qualification they are referring to, an American high school diploma, so pretty much equivalent to 6th Form/A Levels/Level 5 qualifications over here, one would assume? :SEdited by KingNothing on Thursday 18th April 05:56
KingNothing said:
phumy said:
WTF is a high school diploma? do they mean an HND? Im sure you know its nothing to do with school and it certainly wouldnt be equivalent to a Degree.
It's an American company, so I was just assuming that's the type of qualification they are referring to, an American high school diploma, so pretty much equivalent to 6th Form/A Levels/Level 5 qualifications over here, one would assume? :SEdited by KingNothing on Thursday 18th April 05:56
Just to revive this thread, I did apply for the job in the end. Have heard back for an electrician job with them, not sure if its due to this application or if it's just from when they had my details on file from when I spoke to them at an employment fair. So not sure if its a standard electrician job or if its the chief one, guess I will find out when I go for the interview next week though
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