This may get a little confusing...please bear with me!

I currently work as a Floating Support Worker with older people (over 55s). I have been in this position for about six/seven months, although I have worked as a support worker with young people and worked in schools before so that's where my main experience lies.

The main company I work for owns several housing associations, and I currently work for one of them. There is an internal transfer available in one of the sister companies. This is still for a Floating Support Worker (basically working in the community) but with Young adults who are homeless, have offended or are at risk of offending. it sounds exactly the sort of area I want to get involved with and I have some experience..although with younger people.

My Senior is encouraging me to apply as she feels that I would be good in this role. She doesn't want to get rid of me, but she knows my background, etc, etc,

The issue I have is that although its a very similar role the salary is about £7000 more a year than I'm on right now.

Should I be put off by that or should I just go for it as I have the experience? It just seems like a lot more money and the most I've gone up before is £1000.

MOOM

YES!

Go for it, even your boss wants you to go for it.

Ask her to be one of your references, that way anyone else can see that she's willingly being one and not just co-opted because she's your boss.

Go for it!!

In my experience working with young adults with social issues attracts more money than older adults. Thats just the way it is.

Good luck

Absolutely definitely apply for it! It sounds like there's no reason why you couldn't get an interview based on your own experience, but the backing of your own manager and the fact that it's internal are huge huge plus points! £7k to an earner is a nice big fat rise but to an employer it isn't too much of a big deal. I asked a similar question a few months ago and T gave me some bloody good advice - she said words to the effect of, "the worst that can happen is that you don't get the job. Well, you already don't have the job so nothing will have changed." Right?!

Thanks guys, you gave me the push I needed and I finally sent the application form in this morning! I completed it last week but had just been sitting on it.

As an internal transfer they don't ask for references but my senior has said she will still email the guy in charge of that department to give me an un-official reference. The closing date is 5pm tonight but I doubt I'll hear anything at all about it this side of Christmas. I really hope I at least get an interview for the experience and knowledge.

I'll let you know how it goes, and thanks again for giving me the push I needed!

MOOM

Good for you for going for it, and good luck! The only other thing I wanted to say was to be prepared to possibly explain why you deserve the higher salary. When I switched jobs four years ago, I had to put my desired salary on the application, and based on the advice of someone already working for the company, I put a number that was $6000 higher than what I was making at the time. So that came up in the phone interview - Why did I feel such a large jump in salary was appropriate? I guess I did all right with my answer, because I got the job, and they only gave me $1000 less than I asked for. I know your situation is a little different, because it's THEM telling YOU what the starting salary is, but it's still possible that they might mention it, assuming that the application asked you what your current salary is.

I got an interview! It's next Tuesday and I'm incredibly excited and also feel sick with nerves!

I honestly didn't expect to

a) get an interview
b) hear from them so soon!

I was away this weekend so just came home to the letter. I've already phoned to confirm my attendance and asked my boss to supply one of the employer references they require (didn't think they'd ask for one for an internal job, but this may actually go in my favour!)

so now....any tips for a good interview???

MOOM

Just found out that I didn't get the job. They were really nice about it all and said that they liked me and my interview was good, The person they hired just had more specific experience in this particualr area (they're coming from a prison background).

He did say it was nice to meet me and they would love to meet me again in the future, and also to keep my eyes peeled in the New Year.

So here's hoping something else comes up. This experience has really made me realise that although I like my job, I'm ready to move on in the not to distant future.

MOOM

The most important thing about moving forward is staying in the game.

I've interviewed for jobs I didn't want just to keep an ear to the ground. It is the most valuable "fact finding" experience you can engage in and it doesn't cost you nearly as much as other options.

I'm so glad the interviewer was so positive and encouraging.
Best wishes for the new year.

Keep On Dancing*

^While they may have said "no" now, what is important is that they didn't say "get lost!" That the interviewer or employment decision maker told you to apply for other internal positions is encouraging. More than once, both as the person being hired for internal promotion and the person doing the hiring, for internal promotion, both I and in later years when I was the boss, the candidate ended up with a better job than the one initially applied for. I got the best job of my career in just such a way...being rejected for two jobs and not long afterwards hired for another in which the two people who trumped me the first time ended up working for me.

Jon

Thank you so much for how encouraging you have all been. You gave me the warm fuzzies after a particularly horrible and busy day at work.


I am going to keep my eyes open for anything in that particular department. I am also looking for and applying for jobs outside my organisation too (although I don't really want to leave the group if I can help it, they have good benefits that I wouldn't get in my line of work elsewhere)

I just hate interviews. I always get told I do well but I feel so nervous throughout the whole experience. I get cold sweats; I forget important things I wanted to ask/know. Just eurgh. I guess practice makes perfect though right??

MOOM