Apply a job you aren't qualified, How?

The perfect candidate isn’t always available

Robert Half District President Richard Deosingh talked about the poll and how it highlighted the current “skills gap” – in a worker’s market, the perfect candidate isn’t always available. Companies are willing to hire someone who doesn’t match nearly all the requirements – and they’re willing to train. 84% of employers are either “somewhat open” or “very open” to hiring and training someone who lacks the required skills, according to the poll.

Here’s how to use it to your advantage and vault your way into your next job.

Look at the job listing’s language. When a candidate is applying, there are ways to tell which requirements are hard-and-fast and which are more of a wishlist for a perfect candidate, Deosingh says. “It all depends on how the job description is written,” he says. If the listing says a qualification is “preferred” versus a “must,” that’s something to pay attention to.

Mind the gap. Be realistic. When it comes to that 78% that would apply for a job that they’re not totally qualified for, he says, there are ways to do it strategically. “They have to be mindful that the gap isn’t so big that they can’t overcome it,” Deosingh says.

Make up for shortcomings using transferrable skills. “For areas they don’t have exposure with, they need to identify that and use any bit of experiences they have in their background to help accommodate for that gap. Is it an instance where you work in a similar environment and those skills are transferrable?”

Make sure you meet at least 50-60% of the requirements before applying. It depends on the job’s seniority and the amount of experience they’re looking for, Deosingh says, but that’s the minimum amount you should shoot for. You might need to be mindful of meeting more, however, as you climb the ladder. “What you don’t want is to misrepresent yourself.”

In short, it’s never been a better time to apply for a job that’s a bit of a stretch, and the odds are in your favor.