Right to apply for own job

[tiny]

My partner is employed in a temporary contract in the career he has been working towards for years.

The role has been advertised as a permanent position in various locations across the organization including the one he works in. It is the exact role he is doing now. There have been no competency or disciplinary issues. The contract has been renewed once already.

For some reason the job advert now specifies a certain level of competency that my partner is about 8 months off achieving. The competency programme is assesses at set timely intervals I.e. 6 months, 12 months, 24 months etc... So him not having this level of competency officially is to be expected. He is in the role and paid on the pay scale appropriate to his competency.

So effectively he is now unable to apply for his own job because of this new criteria which HR are unable to give a reason for. His colleague in his workplace are furious too as they had assumed once the role was permanent he would step.into it. They work well together as a team and they have been supporting his training and development. We cannot see any logical reason for this criteria. HR will be ringing him back when they find an answer.

All he wants is the opportunity to apply for his own job. If he doesn't get it then fair enough but being denied the opportunity for a pointless reason is so frustrating!

[sean5302]

Re: Right to apply for own job

Hello tiny.
When I want to recruit someone I get HR to ask for everything needed plus some desirable qualities.
Sometimes I get everything that I want. Usually, I don't.
I'd get your partner to apply for the job anyway. It may well be that every other applicant also doesn't have exactly the characteristics requested on the job description.
Given that he's already effectively in post, he'd be daft not to apply. What has he got to lose?
If HR junior staff refuse to accept his application (and why would they?) send it to someone senior.

[stevemLS]

Re: Right to apply for own job

Some organisations, especially public sector, are very strict about only shortlisting people who meet the "essential" criteria" in the person spec.

Not suggesting he shouldn't apply, just trying to mention a potential fly in the ointment.

[sean5302]

Re: Right to apply for own job

Yes Steven. I tend to adopt the phrase "don't try, don't get".

[teaboy2]

Re: Right to apply for own job

He should apply regardless, as he is already filling the role, albeit temporary. Therefore he already has the advantage of experience in the role, and knowledge to carry out the role to company expectations and standards, and not forgetting his co workers support. Where as other applicants will not have that in-house experience and knowledge. Might even be worth getting references from his co workers - Just a thought :tinysmile_twink_t2:.