Picture this: While scrolling through LinkedIn, you discover your dream job. From the location to the proposed salary, everything looks perfect. You’re about to apply when a crushing realization hits you: The job description calls for 10 years of experience, and you only have eight.
It’s common to encounter job postings with qualifications that don’t exactly match your skills and experience. While some people may be tempted to simply skip applying — or worse, to lie on their resumes — there are much better ways to approach a job you’re not qualified for on paper, according to USC Career Center expert and Senior Director for Career Engagement Lori Shreve Blake.
Does Your Experience Need to Match the Job Description Perfectly?
Shreve Blake said there are very few people who are 100 percent qualified for any job based on the description alone. So don’t let a few discrepancies between the job description and your experience deter you from applying.
“These job descriptions are a wish list or a kind of unicorn … in some way, because [hiring managers are] writing them for a person who may or may not exist,” Shreve Blake said. “And so, if people have 50 percent or more of the qualifications, they should apply.”
In fact, on the flip side, recruiters might be turned off by an applicant who completely fits a job description because there is no room for them to grow.
“There needs to be some stretch, some growth,” Shreve Blake said.
Shreve Blake warned that the 50 percent recommendation has caveats. Some positions, such as doctors, engineers, architects or nurses, rightfully require certain credentials and are unlikely to compromise on them.
“But the majority of jobs are not like that,” Shreve Blake said.
How Can You Boost Your Chances When Applying for a Job You’re Not Qualified For?
But how do you make sure that your resume ends up in recruiters’ “yes” pile? Even if you’re not completely qualified for the job on paper, there are other ways to get your foot in the door, Shreve Blake advised.
Help recruiters and hiring managers visualize how you will succeed in the position by highlighting transferable skills, even if your experience is not an exact match, and use keywords from the job description in your customized resume, Shreve Blake said.
For example, if you’re aiming for a leadership role but don’t have direct experience, you can demonstrate skills integral to leadership, such as project management or communication with a team. Or you can show how you’ve taken the lead on specific projects and achieved results. It is important to use words like “lead,” “direct” and “supervise” to show your potential employer you have leadership skills, Shreve Blake said.
“It’s almost like what comes first, the chicken or the egg, because … you can’t be [hired as a] leader unless you have experience being a leader,” Shreve Blake said. “But I can’t be a leader if somebody doesn’t give me a chance to be…”
This also applies to switching jobs across sectors. Even if you’ve never worked in a specific industry, take the opportunity to write a strong cover letter and resume to tell the story of how you’ll draw on your past experiences to succeed in this role.
Networking is another powerful way to increase the odds of your job application leading to an interview.
“Connections are major in terms of going for those jobs where you [are] potentially … under-qualified for,” Shreve Blake said. “Whether you have all the qualifications or half of the qualifications, you have to network.”
Shreve Blake recommends visiting relevant local professional and alumni association meetings or conferences, connecting with people on LinkedIn, joining LinkedIn industry groups and get to know people who work in your target industry through conducting informational interviews.
Finally, if securing a new job isn’t in your near future, you can also find ways to extract the experience you need from your current position.
“Speak up and be proactive. Ask for projects that interest you and allow you to be a leader and let your supervisor know what … your career [goals are] in the next five years …” Shreve Blake advised. “Because maybe they can give you projects and opportunities that will give you the experience to then apply for those jobs that maybe you’re not exactly there [yet].”
The Bottom Line
Even if you’re not completely qualified for a job on paper, you should still apply! It helps to highlight your transferable skills, network and plan to get the experience you need in your current job. Above all, employers are looking for people who can demonstrate past growth and a willingness to stretch their abilities in the future.
“I think [in] a lot of jobs, the employers want to hire people who are willing to learn and take on new challenges,” Shreve Blake said.
And, if you do land an interview, you should feel “really good about it” and go in with confidence, Shreve Blake said.
“Job candidates should not go into the interview thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t have all of the qualifications,” Shreve Blake said. “Anytime an employer invites you for an interview, [the employer] believes you have the skills, experience and can do the job. And so that is a real stamp of approval.”
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