Asking for a potential job opportunity - Best approach ?

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  chumlee on 27/08/2019 - 05:48

  +5

  Just ask if you can spend some time in that department as a "career adventure" to learn new skills. If they agree then use this time to highlight your eagerness to move into this department if you enjoy your time there

  • 

    curious101 on 27/08/2019 - 10:00

    Thank you, very helpful.

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  Quantumcat on 27/08/2019 - 07:27

  +3

  I would be even willing to create some project or study for a few months, if required.

  If this is in a software developer role or similar I suggest making some projects on github and/or contributing to some open source projects so you have a bit of a portfolio. This will prove that a) you love learning and b) you're willing to work hard and c) you have already started gaining some of the skills you need.

  I'm afraid that if you BOTH don't have the skills AND don't posses superior convincing skills (better than average to talk your way in) it's unlikely to happen.

  • 

    curious101 on 27/08/2019 - 10:01

    Thanks, yes, I am leaning towards having a portfolio to show something.

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  ihbh on 27/08/2019 - 07:48

  +2

  Investing in you for the future: ask to spend some time (e.g. a couple of hours a day adding up to say a week over time) in the customer facing function of your organization (it could be external or internal customers) and watch/listen to how the customer service staff interact with them.

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  Skramit on 27/08/2019 - 08:53

  What sort of work do you do? What industry?

  • 

    curious101 on 27/08/2019 - 10:00

    I work in IT industry :)

    • 

      Skramit on 27/08/2019 - 10:03

      +1

      In that case, ask to sit with their team for perhaps 1 day a week to learn/upskill. Explain you're interested in their department etc. Be careful not to "ask for a new job" but sell it as upskilling yourself which will bring benefits to the company as w ahole with cross team upskilling. Show eagerness to "learn" not "get a new role".

      That's the best way to get your foot in to another team in my experience. I work in IT.

      • 

        curious101 on 27/08/2019 - 10:05

        Thanks a ton, I am grateful.

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  Ryanek on 27/08/2019 - 09:04

  +1

  Sounds like you lack a bit of confidence. I don't know why, your written English is excellent so that speaks volumes to me.

  • 

    Skramit on 27/08/2019 - 09:37

    +1

    Give them a job!

    • 

      curious101 on 27/08/2019 - 10:04

      Haha, you are a great wingman Skarmit. Wouldn't be as satisfying as earning it myself.

      • 

        onetwothreefour on 27/08/2019 - 10:23

        +4

        Wouldn't be as satisfying as earning it myself.

        Take any opportunity that comes your way, it doesn't matter how you got it.

        • 

          curious101 on 27/08/2019 - 12:21

          @onetwothreefour: Noted, thank you.

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    curious101 on 27/08/2019 - 10:02

    Thank you, it is reassuring.

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  try2bhelpful on 27/08/2019 - 11:32

  +2

  Is this with a company you are currently employed by? Rather than start with the managers I would try to build up a rapport with team members. Find out what they are doing and how they do it. The best way to get a job is to come with the endorsement of existing team members. I would also look at building up a portfolio. The soft skills are becoming more important because “backroom” jobs are becoming easier to outsource overseas. You need to be seen as a creator of ideas and be able to sell them. The difference between extroverts and introverts is the extrovert goes “stuff it, what’s the worst that can happen”. My motto is “you don’t get what you don’t ask for” so you just step forward. We are all faking it until we make it.

  It is hard to break into a company but, if you do, then building rapport with different teams can make it easier to move around. Best of luck.

  • 

    curious101 on 27/08/2019 - 12:21

    Thanks a ton, great idea.

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  bluesky on 28/08/2019 - 22:15

  So how do you make an approach and what is the best way to ask for an opportunity. If you as a manager, hired someone based on a cold approach, do you have any tips ?

  OP, I have been on both sides - so will share some insights with you.

  Firstly, from the perspective of a candidate. Early in my career, an opportunity came out of the blue for a position I really wanted.

  We both share some similarities:

  • I was also a bit socially awkward then, not a good conversationalist and had little to say.
  • Did not possess the skills and experience required for the position interviewed.
  • For the right work, I was happy to devote long hours/weekends of my own time. And the pay was largely irrelevant, so long as it was enough to sustain my livelihood.

  My approach was to be completely truthful and spoke from the heart. Among other things, I told the manager I endeavoured to be an expert in the area, but knew full well I was not there yet. When asked about my expected starting salary (I have no idea what was on offer, as it was not advertised), I simply said to pay me whatever he deemed appropriate then, but to pay me accordingly after I had proven myself.

  Being more interested in contributing first, and appropriate rewards (pay) later, I was showing good faith and commitment that I intended to live up to my word. It could have been a major contributing factor as to why I was hired on-the-spot. After all, I did not have much track record to speak of at that point.

  The details are less relevant, adapt according to your circumstances. The main point is to demonstrate that you mean what you say since your words are all the interviewer have to go by.

  Secondly, from the perspective of an interviewer. Will focus on cases where people asked for the opportunity to join the team. Pretty much, the same criterion was important: how interested were they in their own growth and learning, how dedicated they would be as workers, instead of just earning a pay packet. This ranked higher than whether they already possessed all the necessary skills (some level required of course) – as skill gaps could be acquired with the right attitude and hard work.

  Also, social awkwardness need not necessarily be a drawback, especially if the job is not a customer-facing one. A good interviewer would focus on the traits that matter more, like can a person deliver on the job in question - more so than great social skills. Many a smooth talker is big on talk and short on delivering.

  Hope this offers some insights you can use or adapt accordingly to your benefit. And all the best for your interview.

  • 

    curious101 on 29/08/2019 - 10:08

    +1

    I love you bluesky, thank you for your excellent insight.