Skills to Highlight If You Are Not Qualified for the Job
You see the job you want to apply for, but there is a catch: you don’t meet all the requirements. Regardless, you know the difference between underqualified and unqualified qualifications and you are confident that you are entering the first camp, not the second. Will you manage to get this work done.
This post was originally published on the Muse website .
The only problem is that whether you are changing your field or taking a winding career path , your resume lacks some essential skills. In that case, don’t give up! Your goal is to find any place where you can connect the dots between your previous experience and your open role.
And the good news is that there are two types of skills that can help you justify your position:
First, focus on your transferable skills.
If you see gaps, start by looking at the transferable skills. You’ve probably heard the term before, but to remind you, this is exactly what they are like: things that you have learned in one industry that will carry over to another.
For example, if you have experience with clients, you know how to make an unhappy person feel heard and turn an angry conversation into a productive one. This will help you succeed in any work that requires active listening and problem solving. Or maybe you’ve never been involved in a formal strategic planning process, but have helped your department develop and achieve big goals, so you can leverage that experience.
When it comes to connecting dots in your application, you basically say, “This role requires X, and my experience with Y has given me the skills I need to do that.”
This is an important step (and this article tells you how to do it in the job, but in this – in the cover letter), but it does not give you the opportunity to share abilities that make you attractive, but do not fit in the vacancy announcement stated. So, while transferable skills are useful, dwelling on them is not stopping.
This is where additive skills come into play.
Just like companies list their dream qualifications that are not necessary but will make the candidate more attractive; Chances are, you have some talent that is not in demand, but that can enhance your ability to do great work. These are your additive skills. (And I use the word supplement because the goal is to focus on those that increase your ability to get the job done.)
Based on the above formula, they mean: “I have work experience in Y, and even if it is not required in the job description, it will help me succeed in this role, because …”
To quote myself from a previous article on Out of Reach Job Interview : “An additional skill is something unique that you have to offer in addition to what is expected. Think about it: if you are a little under-qualified, there is a reason why. If you spent the first two years of your career in another sector, you will bring experience from that industry. If you are younger than anyone else applying for the role, chances are you sent an unusual cover letter or you have impressive network connections. “
Do you have three years of program management instead of five? This is because you have worked as a data scientist for two years and your analytical skills will help you optimize your projects. Or maybe you’ve spent a year abroad and while you don’t need a second language, you know that the fact that you are fluent will help you reach a new demographic.
How to use them to your advantage
One of the most important (and most difficult) things a job seeker needs to do is remember – for the right reasons. And this is where both your portable and additional skills give you the edge. All people with similar qualifications will draw a direct line between their experience and their role. But they can be combined with other obvious options.
Your different skills give you an edge because they help you stand out. First, in your cover letter, you can use both transferable and non-transferable skills to tell a two-line story. For example, let’s say you are a project manager who loves to write and are applying for a job as a recruiter for a company:
Transferable Skill : “Part of my current job is to get people to meet deadlines, and I would use what I learned there to get applicants to submit submissions on time.”
Bonus Skill : “As someone who creates their own newsletter every month, I know my penchant for finding the right words will strengthen my email recruiting efforts.”
Then, when you are looking for an interview, you can (again) use those skills to show why you are a good candidate.
For example, if you are asked to explain how you could take on this role on the very first day you have no recruiting experience, you might respond:
“In addition to experience in [what is required in posting], I also use [transferable or complementary skills] to help me [do things that other candidates cannot do].”
It sounds like this:
“A big part of persuasive writing is understanding your audience, and I would use the same skills to connect with the best candidate who might not be hesitant to apply.
“When you don’t have the exact qualifications, it’s easy to get nervous or underestimate the experience you have. That’s when considering all of your skills – not just those that fit the job description – can give you the extra boost you need. They are a good reminder to the hiring manager that while you have not developed the skills directly related to the position, you have gained many other valuable experiences that make you a great choice.
2 Skills To Look For When You Are Not Qualified For The Job | Muse