Hey, Good Things Can Happen When You Apply For a Job You Aren't Fully Qualified For
Picture this: You're scrolling through JobStreet or LinkedIn to check for job openings and you see one that piques your curiosity. Oh, but they're looking for someone with five years of experience in the industry, and you only have two. Moving on.
Does this sound at all familiar to you? Have you ever passed on an opportunity because you didn't meet all the requirements or it's an industry you have zero experience in or there are a few skills in the job description you don't have yet?
Many of us think these are deal breakers when it comes to applying for jobs—and it's exactly this kind of mindset that might hinder your professional growth. What people forget about job interviews is that there's a human factor. You are more than your resume. Often, employers are simply looking for enthusiastic, hard-working people who are willing to learn.
So what happens when you apply for jobs you aren't fully qualified for?
Well, for one thing, you might actually get it.
"My current job hired me as Director for Content Marketing even though I haven't had any solid experience with SEO before. I was very honest when I approached the CEO of our company about it, but he said that he believes I can learn and hired me. Until now, I still don't understand why he put that amount of trust in me, but I love everything about my job at the moment so I'm really thankful he did." -Karen
"I applied for an opening in Cosmo that I was not qualified for. They were looking for someone who had at least two to three years of experience in publishing, and I was a fresh grad. I was also a sportswriter/Sports Editor in college and they were looking for someone to write entertainment stories. Still, I sent my cover letter. My opening line was 'I know I'm not qualified but I am interested in this position.' Then I got the job. They changed it to an entry-level position suited for me!" -Retty
You could learn so, so much.
"I auditioned for an esports reporting job back in 2019, despite not playing any of the games and not knowing what exactly I'd have to do. I'm now working in esports full-time, both locally and internationally, so I guess faking it went well? In all seriousness though, I took in every single bit of info I could. I crammed in tons of research and listened to every piece of advice and criticism. I always showed my employers that I was willing to improve and took note of my mistakes. In my free time, I'd research even more. Until now, I still feel like I'm not qualified at all, and I still continue to learn as much as I can every day." -Mika
You might become a little braver.
"I applied as a Native Ad Editor after returning from taking my MBA, specializing in Hospitality Management abroad. I had no professional writing or editorial experience to speak of during my interview. I just knew that I wanted to take a writing job for a change. I found out soon after that I'd been hired, and I was stunned that I actually made it! After that, I auditioned for a radio jock position, with no glowing qualifications except maybe my hosting experience in college. I knew it was a tricky job to get into so I didn't expect too much. I only adjusted my expectations when I'd get short-listed, haha. Eventually, I became one of the newest jocks of the station. It's pretty freaking amazing where life takes you if you're ballsy enough to take a leap of faith." -Nikki
You could prove something to yourself.
"I applied for a marketing manager position for a hotel based in Ortigas. That time, marketing officer lang ako ng smaller hotel and I didn't graduate from any hotel- or marketing-related course. After several interviews, from the marketing department, general manager, and hotel owner, they offered me the PR comms manager position. Nagulat ako, haha. I was so happy, 'di ko akalain na puwede pala ako mag-PR? But I declined because ang baba ng suweldo." -Raizel
"I'm an undergrad of B.S Radiologic Technology, who has several years of call center experience when I tried to apply for a legit financial market role at a bank. It was an internal application versus people who graduated in finance from top universities and some that even have the experience they were looking. All I had was grit, some advice from the mentorship I had, and a mock intervew from my then-supervisor. It was so scary but I really wanted it. I tried giving my all during that interview and I got it. I got promoted to a supervisory role after two years and I'm now performing head-to-head with people who graduated in finance and those who have related experience in this industry." -Chamie
This story originally appeared on Cosmo.ph. Minor edits have been made by Esquiremag.ph editors.
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