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Top Reasons You Should Apply for That Job You’re Under-qualified For

By Pat

Have do you come across a job that you feel you are under qualified for? I am sure you had thought of applying for it but then something changed your mind.

Most people never apply for something for which they weren’t 100% qualified to do according the job description. Either they wouldn’t feel right doing it, or they would write it off as a waste of time.

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Here are 3 reasons why you should go ahead and apply for that job you’ve been ogling for weeks now, and it’s not at all a waste of time.

1. Nobody ever gets their ideal candidate
For the most part, when you read a job description, it’s describing what the “ideal” candidate would bring to the table. Guess what: the ideal candidate rarely exists, and even more rarely do they apply for that specific job.

A less-than-ideal candidate may get the job. You might not be a perfect fit, but if nobody else is either, then you’re on an even playing field.

You shouldn’t apply for something for which you don’t believe you could actually do competently. If you believe you can actually do the work and you can prove it objectively, fill your boots and apply.

Another note is that you don’t need to – and should never – lie about your credentials and experience. Don’t pretend to be the ideal candidate to get the job. It’s unethical, and my point here is that you don’t need to be ideal in the first place.

2. Sometimes the hiring manager doesn’t even know what they want
In many cases, the person hiring for the role doesn’t have a 100% clear idea of what they need for their team. There may be more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak.

If you put your name forward, even if it doesn’t fit the job description, then you may bring to mind a new and innovative way for the manager to solve their problem. It’s more important to offer them a solution than the solution they think they need.

Suppose you have expertise that can fill part of the hiring manager’s need. Maybe that’s good enough. Maybe you can fit into the team in such a way that the manager gets an even better configuration than they were looking for.

Maybe you have some experience that the manager didn’t ask for that could still be perfect for helping them solve their problem. They’ll never know, and you’ll never know unless you put your name out there.

3. You might be the best applicant
Even if you’re not 100% the perfect fit for the role, you may still be the best of all the applicants. This is what I call the “Multiple Choice Effect”.

Remember doing multiple-choice tests in school? The instructions at the top of the test almost always read “Choose the best answer”, and not “Choose the right answer”.

You may be the best answer to a hiring manager’s problems. You don’t need to be perfect; you just need to be the best option.

36 Comments

  1. can i apply for ajob which you feel you can but academic qualifaction discourange/ disqualify you e.g they need someone who has adegree/diploma but you dont have but you feel your experience fits you

  3. Thanks alot ,you have great minds ,keep doing that and people like me down here who even don’t know where to start will open their eyes.

  4. this is so useful, i was going to leave applying one job tonight. with this is mind, i am definitely going to finish it up. thanks

  8. You really are a doing a hell of great job. I keenly follow your writings even though am not currently looking for a job

  11. You have good enough experience but education qualification disqualifies you coz most job require degree where is some have diploma so that is why people give up not to apply. How would you consider this?

  15. I have always ignored such job opportunities arguing that i did not meet the threshold to what the firm needed hence my application wont even be read. Its time now to believe in myself and send those applications where needed.

  16. To be honest I have been intimidated about the job requirements mentioned in some of job postings and I end up passing them on. Now I feel encouraged to try and who knows I might get my dream job. Thanks.

  18. Comment
    Timely piece of advice. I have struggled with this scenario a number of times and I always end up foregoing the opportunity. The ballgame changes now.

  23. A good piece of advice. I’ve been enlightened. I never used to apply for jobs that am less qualified. Am sorted

  25. I want to agree with you on this, and from today henceforth,i will take risks and apply for those position I feel I can be able to fit in

  26. Much appreciated.
    The advice has really inspire me to aspire more in my job searching.
    Thank You.
    Regards.
    Mugo

  27. i lost chances since i have all along thought dat am under qualified. am now going an extra mile. Thanx for this piece.

  28. thanks very much for that I always fear to apply the jobs because of experience years level of education and narrows myself to the medical field only, so inspiring

  29. I hve learnt a great lesson indeed.I now know why I hve not found a job and I believe I will now find one soon.

  33. This is what exactly I have been undergoing through I find a job but it needs a higher experience than I have so I coil my tail and leave it but now am putting my boots on…Great Inspiration.. great job

  34. Great piece very inspiring…and timely to me at this time in my career….It is indeed an article in season

  36. I must admit that most of the time I resist to apply for vacancies as I am intimidated by the number of years of experience that the hiring manager expects.This article has been very insightful and inspiring. Great piece.

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