Who Gets the Job? (Hadith No. 1957)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 36, Number 462 :
Narrated by Abu Musa (radiallaahu `anhu)
I went to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) with two men from Ash’ari tribe. I said (to the Prophet), “I do not know that they want employment.” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “No, we do not appoint for our jobs anybody who demands it earnestly.”

This is good proof that you don’t give the job to anyone who wants it. They have to be eligible for it, the criterion for eligibility having been decided by the employer.

At the same time, we’re encouraged to offer ourselves for any jobs that we know we’re eligible for. Shying away from such an opportunity isn’t the right thing to do. This is the sunnah of Prophet Yusuf (`alayhissalaam):

 قَالَ اجْعَلْنِى عَلَى خَزَآئِنِ الاٌّرْضِ إِنِّى حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ
“Yusuf  said: “Set me over the storehouses of the land; I will indeed guard them with full knowledge.” [12:55]