When do you decide to apply for a job you're not fully qualified for?

23 Comments

1. Susan PriceMarch 22,2022 at 2:24PM UTC

   I once applied to manage a team I had helped grow from 3 people to 14.
   I hadn't held a management position before, but understood the team's work and our relationships with other teams inside and out, having designed many of the processes myself.

   I thought of myself as "ready" for the position and its challenges. Ready and eager for the growth and learning it would require of me.

   Unfortunately my boss, the hiring manager, told me not to apply - that she wouldn't hire me for it. She chose one of the two men she did invite to apply - my peers - and he arranged to have her fired a few months later and took her job.

   Of course, she may have seen failings or drawbacks in me then that I didn't see, but as I've led multiple companies since then and won an award for mentorship, I've concluded that her own gender bias played a part.

   I didn't give up. I am still learning to value myself and help change the culture to encourage other women to go for positions and challenges they are "ready for."

2. PattiMarch 22,2022 at 2:30PM UTC

   If I have all of the major qualifications, and am only lacking a couple of the minor ones (ones I could easily learn) I will apply to the job.

3. Megan LeasherMarch 22,2022 at 2:37PM UTC

   I used to be more of a 95% girl, but now I try to be more of the 60% girl! Even if you are turned down, you might learn about other opportunities and you might make new connections. And every time you take a chance, it makes it easier to take a chance next time.

4. AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 3:00PM UTC

   I say apply if you are really interested in the job -- is that the position you want to move into? Are you motivated to learn the stuff you don't know yet? Then give it a try!

   They likely won't interview you unless they see that you meet some of their most important qualifications.

5. Andrea Macek, Career Change Coach for Professional WomenMarch 22,2022 at 3:24PM UTC

   I could write a book on this!
   This is true, women too often think they need to be 100% qualified to apply which is not true at all! Remember, a job description is a wish list. They don't expect to find someone that is 100% qualified, that is a unicorn. Instead of assuming you don't have what it takes, ask yourself how can you be the unicorn at 60%?

   There are 3 things you can consider/askyourself:
   -What do already have that will allow you to do the job? Skills, experiences, education, etc.
   -How can you show that won't you don't have isn't an issue?
   -What assumptions are you making that may be keeping you from thinking that you aren't qualified?

6. Julie Chatman, MBA, CISMMarch 22,2022 at 11:24PM UTC

   Question: How do you know that women don’t apply unless they meet 100% of the qualifications?

7. SamanthaMarch 22,2022 at 4:40PM UTC

   I try to be around the 60%, but sometimes It depends on the job. If they're asking for knowledge in certain programs that don't relate at all to what I know I will sometimes go past it. But as an engineer, a lot of our design programs are similar enough and you can learn quickly.

   If they don't want me for my experience that I give them, then I move on. I'll keep it in mind for the future.

8. Anne KrookMarch 22,2022 at 4:58PM UTC

   the questions for me are whether you can do the core tasks of the job, and whether you can you prove it based on your experience. If you can do those things, and have a track record of learning on the fly when you need a new skill, I'd apply

9. Julie Chatman, MBA, CISMMarch 22,2022 at 5:04PM UTC

   I don’t believe that it’s true women don’t apply for jobs they aren’t qualified for or don’t see themselves as qualified for.

   People are repeating this so much that there isn’t much thought behind it. Also, compared to the articles advising women to “overcome imposter syndrome” and be more brave when applying for roles, very few people are openly addressing the gatekeeping and biases that happen in the interviewing and in the workplace.

   That said - I advise people I mentor to apply for roles if they meet 60% of the basic and preferred qualifications in aggregate.

   I also advise resilience because there may be many rejections - It may take 100 “nos” to get to a “maybe” and scores of maybes to get to a “yes.”

10. Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume WriterMarch 22,2022 at 5:09PM UTC

    I tell my clients to go for jobs they are at least 75% qualified for. I also speak with them about how to assess the importance of various qualifications - based on the wording in the announcement, and the order in which the qualifications are listed.

11. Sabrina CortesMarch 22,2022 at 5:55PM UTC

    I apply if I fit most of the requirements and then mention in my cover letter that I enjoy learning and pick things up quickly.

12. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistMarch 22,2022 at 6:26PM UTC

    I think part of this depends on how you take rejection.

    For companies that follow OFCCP guidelines, you MUST meet 100% of the Basic Qualifications in order to be considered for the position.

13. Ruth A. Ford, PHRMarch 22,2022 at 7:04PM UTC

    Since we're talking in percentages, I will apply for something if I have hands on experience with about 75% of the knowledge/skills/abilities listed. I always tell my friends -- if you think you have transferrable skills -- apply! You've gotta make sure that's clearly articulated in your resume, though.

    I'd also say that in this job market -- if you're at 60% -- APPLY!

14. Farah BajwaMarch 23,2022 at 12:10AM UTC

    I would decide to apply when I have substantial evidence and confidence to show this potential employer that I have what it takes to grow into the role. It happened with my current job. Also what's the worst that can happen - they say, "no thanks," and you move on with the next potential role...

15. AnonymousMarch 23,2022 at 1:42PM UTC

    I apply if I meet 70% of the skills and qualifications. The job posting is there perfect candidate and while that person could definitely be out there, I find that most of the time one does not meet 100% of the qualifications every single time.

    I also think years of experience is a turn off for a lot. For example, if they are asking for 3-5 and someone only has 2 years they are less likely to apply, in my experience. If you meet 70% or more of the skills then apply anyway to jobs you come close to meeting the years requirement. If you can demonstrate you have the skills and abilities that's what counts. I also don't mean if you have 2 years experience to apply to a job that's asking 6-10. The reason I say this is because even if you do meet a lot of the skills you are more likely to get rejected based on years of experience with those skills and applying takes time.

    I also make note of the areas that I may need to grow in. Some could be as easy as doing a few courses on a software but others just showing my willingness to learn those skills. In an interview, I would bring up that I took the time to do some research on courses I could take to get me up to speed before starting or give them a few examples of how I learned new skills when I first started my current job.

16. Sarah HernandezMarch 23,2022 at 1:55PM UTC

    I try to match about 70% of my skills since some of my previous experience was specific (I recently moved from a Video Producer position in Sales L&D to Corp Communications). But I highlighted my transferrable skills used language that the job I was applying for used. Saying Project Managing vs Producing. I also explained in the interview where my lack of experience was, but I was excited to grow those skills to reach a long-term goal with the company. Good luck!

17. Sophie JoernMarch 23,2022 at 2:58PM UTC

    Go with your gut! Especially if you are excited or passionate about the role. It can be a scary or intimidating to apply for a job that you may not feel fully qualified for, but you also may have amazing transferable skills and experiences that the organization might really value and need! If you apply and are rejected, you will just be in the same place you started. But if you apply and are accepted, imagine where the possibilities might take you - you will never know if you don't try!

18. AnonymousMarch 24,2022 at 12:09PM UTC

    Why would you ever apply for a job you are 100% qualified for? Why do you want a job that you could do without stretching yourself or learning anything new? 60% is too little in qualifications. If you have 80% of the qualifications, that's a sweet spot.

19. Susan PriceMarch 24,2022 at 6:18PM UTC

    I agree, and can also think of circumstances (and know of people) who make the decision to "downgrade" or "stay level" at times of life where career takes a back seat to personal considerations.

    Example: I went from a successful bootstrapped agency owner to an individual contributor job when I had a baby, because I needed the structure of a job and a team of support around me while I figured out balancing motherhood with career.

    And I always kept learning and stretching. Since the pandemic, I've adopted a "stop striving" theme - and I'm getting more done.

20. AnonymousMarch 24,2022 at 9:24PM UTC

    OK. The way I'm wired, not striving is the thing that depresses and unbalanced me.

21. AnonymousMarch 25,2022 at 4:03PM UTC

    I have only ever applied for jobs where I checked every box in the requirements. Sometimes you won't even get past the HR software if you don't.

22. AnonymousMarch 25,2022 at 6:03PM UTC

    I've never seen that happen. Only for a few apps have I seen 1 or 2 requirements questions around an MBA or another certification.

23. Julie Chatman, MBA, CISMMarch 29,2022 at 6:29PM UTC

    It can happen with government roles.