Of course you´ve read the vacancy announcements. In today´s economy employers can afford to be choosy. They can afford to take their time and look for the perfect candidate someone who has all the certifications and just the right amount of experience.
So what if you don´t meet all of the qualifications listed in the advertisement? Should you not bother to apply?
First of all, keep in mind that employers often put out a wish list for the vacancy announcement. They would like to have someone with all of the requirements. However, they will often go with the person who comes closest to having all of the requirements. It is best for job seekers then to apply for jobs even if they don’t match up with everything listed on the ad.
The next step is to try to network one’s way into the job. Employers generally prefer to hire someone that they know something about, so if a job seeker comes highly recommended by someone that the hiring manager knows, that recommendation goes a long way. Job seekers should try to find out who they know in their networks who can put in a good word for them. LinkedIn is very useful in this regard. You can search for jobs on LinkedIn, and the software will automatically tell you whether or not you are connected to anyone who works at the organization that has the opening.
When you get to the interview level you should come prepared with specific examples that demonstrate how you have used the skills that are listed in the ad in the workplace. You will come across as a credible candidate if you have stories to share with the interviewer of how you have successfully used your skill set instead of simply saying that you have X, Y, or Z skills.
And of course you should continue to use your network throughout the job search process. If you have someone in your network championing your cause with the hiring manager, you can come across as the best candidate even if on paper you´re not the perfect candidate.
