How to be a successful candidate when you don’t meet the job requirements
If you find your dream job but you don’t meet all the employer’s requirements, you can still send in a job application. Don’t be deterred by the company’s long list of job requirements if you know that you have the skills and experience to carry out all the duties that are required. Once you read the job description, you’ll have a better understanding of whether you’re qualified for the role even if you don’t meet all the company’s requirements.
Focusing on transferable skills and your ability to learn will increase your chances of getting a job that you really want. If you’re looking for a job, read our blog post to discover how you can still be successful even if you don’t meet all the job requirements.
Are you capable of doing the job?
Once you’ve read the job requirements, check in with yourself about whether you’re capable of doing the job or not. Write down a list of your skills and work experience that would enable you to fulfil the duties that are associated with the role you’re applying for.
Disregard the requirements that aren’t essential
A job description will usually be followed by what the company is looking for in their candidates. This includes essential experience and qualifications as well as attributes that will be advantageous when candidates are applying for the position. Don’t be put off from applying for the position if you don’t have the extra requirements that are on the company’s wish list.
Focus on transferable skills
If you don’t meet all the requirements, you can focus on your transferable skills in your job application. Look at the capabilities that you’ll need to fulfil the duties that are associated with the position and determine how your experience and skills can be transferred to your new role. While you may not have the five years of sales experience the company is after, your work experience may have taught you outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, which can be transferred from one position to another. While emphasising your capabilities is an excellent idea, make sure that you are honest and that you don’t overextend the transferability of your skills.
Read the company description
Reading the company description helps you to understand the company’s values and goals. It also gives you insight into the company culture. This knowledge allows you to determine whether you will fit in at the company if you’re hired. Make a list of the reasons why you’re a good match for the company. Employers want to know that you’ll fit in at the office and be able to work as part of the team. Understanding the company better will also enable you to ask insightful questions if you make it to the job interview stage of the application.
Highlighting aspects of your personality in your cover letter that correspond with the company culture will also increase your chances of getting a job in that organisation. Next, do research on the industry that you plan to work in so that you can impress your interviewers if the initial stage of your job application is successful.
Include a referral
When you’re looking for a job, you can increase your chances of getting hired by including referrals in your application. Ask one of the employers that you have worked for previously to write a letter that includes an overview of your capabilities and work ethic. Obtaining an internal referral from someone at the company you’re sending the job application to is also beneficial. If you know someone at the company, you can ask them to recommend you. Ask the person referring you to include why they think you are qualified for the position.
Now that you know more about how to apply for positions when you don’t meet all the job requirements, you can search for vacancies on Job Mail.
