Don’t Limit Yourself During Your Job Search

Searching for a new job can feel overwhelming as you prep your resume, research possible employers, and search for open positions. Then you start reading the job postings. There’s one with an intimidating title, but the job description sounds right up your alley. Another is at a company you’d love to work for, but you don’t quite meet all the qualifications. And then there’s one that seems like a perfect match, except it requires a few more years of experience than what you have under your belt.

Before you count yourself out and scroll past these potential jobs that sparked your interest, dig a little bit deeper. You may be more qualified than you think.

Look Beyond the Job Title

Don’t feel intimidated by the job title, or assume you know the actual responsibilities associated with the position. Workers who have the same title but work for different employers can have vastly different roles. So, read the full job description thoroughly and do some web sleuthing to gain insight into others who already hold that position or work in the same department.  

Recognize Needs vs. Wants

Job postings generally list the employers’ must-haves and then list their preferences. You can differentiate between these by watching for words like “required,” “preferred,” “working knowledge,” and “proficient.” These will clue you in to the employer’s needs and wants, but don’t let them hold you back. Harvard Business Review looked into what keeps people from applying for certain jobs. Their research showed the biggest reason was that they thought they wouldn’t be hired because they didn’t meet 100% of the qualifications. But you don’t have to match up perfectly! If your qualifications match at least 50% of the job listing, you should give it a shot.

Consider the Full Picture

If you’re newer to the job market, have an employment gap, or are switching fields or industries, you need to take a step back and consider the full extent of your work experience. You have gained a wide variety of transferable skills and experiences from your current career, part-time work, summer jobs, internships, freelancing, volunteer work, and even personal situations. As Martha Gimbel, research director at Indeed Hiring Lab, explained in a CNBC article, job applicants need to consider “how their skills can transfer across a lot of different types of jobs.” Being able to assess your past and pinpoint your most desirable attributes as an applicant will keep you from selling yourself short.

Identify Your Standout Quality

Most likely, there is something extra you could bring to that seemingly out-of-reach position. Even if it’s not specifically listed in the job posting, there could be something that makes you uniquely qualified for that job. You could be the perfect match for the business’s culture, be passionate about the company’s purpose, or even have had a personal experience that gives you insight into the employer’s target audience. And that quality may be exactly what makes you ideal for the position.

Take the Leap

As you’re considering whether or not to apply for a position that feels intimidating, ask yourself these questions:

-          Is there something about this position that sparks my interest?

-          Can I realistically do the job based on the description?

-          Do I meet at least 50% of the “required” qualifications?

If you answer “yes” to all three, then go for it. You're not wasting anyone’s time by applying, and you could be exactly what that employer never knew they needed!