Not too long ago I reached out to businesses/organisations/universities in my field (recent undergrad grad) asking to meet to talk about job opportunities, in an effort to make connections because where I live it's virtually impossible to get a good job in your field without “knowing someone”. The other day I was emailed back by one university research centre, letting me know that there is a job opportunity available and they invite me to apply for it. From our correspondence, they seem really eager for me to apply, which seems great! Unfortunately, the link they sent me to the job posting didn't work, so I just searched on their site for any jobs relating to that department. I found one, and it seemed promising- 40-50k full time with benefits, only on term but with possibility for renewal. Not as secure as i'd like, but i'd be willing to take the leap. But when I let them know that their link didn't work, they got back to me and let me know that the posting I found was not the one they wanted me to apply for. It turns out the one they tried to send was actually a casual position and only pays $20/hr (CAD; where I live this is not enough to live securely in 1br apartment even at full-time). They're looking into why the job posting isn't available on the site, but asked in the meantime that I apply for the one I found, and they would mark it as an application for the casual job.
My predicament is that I really need a full-time job, so that I can move into my own place (preferably downtown, closer to where this job would be) and so I can get health insurance (beyond what is available 'universally'). However, this casual job would also allow me to finally get my foot in the door and make connections, even if it doesn't pay what i'm looking for or grant me security. I would just have to bus and hour and a half both ways to get to work and back home. I would just apply for both, and see where fate takes me, but with them saying my application for the full-time job would be counted for the casual, i'm worried that I wouldn't be considered at all for the full-time one.
Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed woth this situation? Maybe there is a way to negotiate a full-time contract out of the casual position (they are hiring multiple positions, so maybe I could present myself as someone able to take on extra work)? Or how to ask that my application be considered for both jobs, even though they seem adamant on me applying for the casual one? (I'm just shy of fully meeting all of the requirements they're looking for for the position).
Any advice would be appreciated!! Thank you ️