I work in a very small digital products department as part of a larger organization. The department was formed two years ago. I have been at the organization for seven years and joined as a Product Manager from another department. My current boss was recruited into the organization as Senior Product Manager. She reports to the Head of Product, who currently also leads another department.
The exec team has decided to give the department a dedicated Head of Product. The current head will from now on just focus on her other department. The obvious candidate for the new Head of Product role is the Senior PM. But they can't just promote her; for technical reasons they have to advertise it, interview the candidates and then give it to her.
I have a good relationship with my boss and think she is definitely the right person for the job. However, I wonder if I should apply for the role.
The reasons not to are: I want my boss to take the role, not me, as she is much more qualified and would do it well; and the recruitment process is just a technicality, and it could be seen as time-wasting to apply for something that everyone, including myself, knows I won't get.
But the reasons to apply are: I'd get an opportunity to speak with senior figures in my organization; I could present myself as someone who is serious about this role and who is ambitious; and I'd get more practice at interviewing.
Would it be time-wasting to apply? Or is it an opportunity to increase my profile in the organization?