Saturday, March 31, 2007

Career: Should I Apply if I don't meet the Qualifications

Should I Apply If I Don't Meet the Qualifications?

You've discovered an exciting internship or entry-level job and would like to apply. But should you bother, even if you don't have exactly what the ad outlines? With few exceptions, send your résumé anyway. Here's why:


Job listings describe the perfect candidate, not the probable one
When employers write job ads, they list the qualifications of the ideal person for the job. They know--and accept--that they probably won't actually find someone who meets every criterion, but they still ask for that person, just in case.


So let's say an employer thinks you're a B-level candidate and concludes that all the rest of the applicants are C-level or worse. If this were a class, all you'd be able to say is, "I got a B." But in this competition, you can say, "I got the job!"


Still not convinced? Don't forget the most important reason to try for the job:


If you try, you have a chance
One thing's for sure: If you don't apply for the job, you won't get it.

No comments: