I’m not really qualified. Should I apply?
An applicant sees a job that is their DREAM JOB, but the qualifications don’t quite fit their experience right now. It’s so tempting to apply because WHAT IF they call and the applicant is able to wow them with their potential and the company makes an outstanding offer? Of course, this is backed up by any number of bloggers and well-meaning advice-givers who say to apply to anything that interests you. They say that companies should hire for potential and passion, not by qualifications. In many cases, this would create a horrible experience for the new hire’s coworkers. Someone is going to have to invest a lot of training in this person to get them up to speed. Too often, companies just don’t have these training programs in place. I wonder if the applicant would still apply to the job knowing that they wouldn’t necessarily be set up for success.
The dream is that someone is working in a job making an entry-level salary and some executive sees their potential and gives them a six-figure job, propelling them into an adventurous life filled with luxury and tax loopholes. Think about how many people you know personally who have had this happen to them. The number is very likely zero. For the great majority, it’s a movie fantasy.
Practicalities aside, there are also government regulations surrounding how companies hire — at least larger companies and government contractors.
If the company is an EEOC-Compliant organization, they can only interview candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the position. So, if the position is posted as requiring 3 years of experience in business-to-business sales, but you have only sold in a big-box retail environment, you don’t meet the minimum requirement. If a company makes an exception to interview you, they then must interview all of the other candidates who have the same qualifications you do. In the instance they hire you and someone who IS qualified is not hired, the other person may have cause to sue the company for discrimination of some kind. In any case, when the company is audited by the EEOC, they will be fined heavily. I can tell you with great certainty that there are no HR professionals who are looking forward to an audit from the EEOC. Even if a company is very diligent about their compliance, an audit is incredibly detailed and the hiring manager and HR personnel must account for decisions that are made with respect to hiring.
Even if a recruiter sees potential in your resume, they are very likely not going to call you to interview for that job. Some jobs have over 100 applicants. If there weren’t requirements, recruiters would have to screen those 100 people in order to be compliant with the EEOC.
So, you see your dream job posted. How on earth do you actually get it? What if you don’t have connections or any earthly idea of how to get into that role. You just know you have passion and talent and you feel ready for more.
My first recommendation is to search online to see how people who are in your dream job got there. Where did they start? What other jobs have they held? Maybe you’re halfway there, but you need to pick up a few more skills. Take an honest look at your place in your career path and set some goals. What is your logical next step? Is there another job that could get you where you need to go — a stepping stone? Are there additional projects that you could undertake in your current job? Have you talked to your supervisor about your goals?
Even better, do you have a connection to one of those people? Why not create one? Most people are more than happy to network or to talk about how they got where they are in their careers. Please remember, though, you’re reaching out to someone to ask a favor. That means they’re likely to respond and do things on their own timeline. That’s OK.
Careers are built over time and through networks and experience. Be patient with yourself and see where you need to develop in order to be prepared to earn your dream job and hit the ground running.
