The No. 1 Reason You Are NOT Landing That Job!

Written By Vanessa Durman

I had a client approach me for a personalized coaching program to land his dream job. During our Discovery Session he stated his goal is to reach a higher position in the same industry, even the same company, as he was happy with his workplace. He told me he is almost there. When I asked him to clarify what he means by that so we can create a realistic time-frame, he said:

‘‘I am still missing a few things to be a 100% perfect fit for the role, I am at about 90% now and hope to start applying by the end of the year .’’

That was another 6 months before anything would really happen. After some more insight, I realized he is more than competent to step up now and was thinking he is not an ideal candidate just yet! My client’s idea of being nearly there was not the same idea recruiters have when they post a job ad.  He was making the number one mistake when you want to land a job.

He wasn’t applying at all!

Fortunately, I had an idea how to help him get in the fast lane to land that job. In this blog, I will go over some of the strategies I used with my client during our 1:1 Personalized Coaching Program. By the time you finished reading, you will realize why it is so important to apply for the jobs you want, even if you don’t meet 100% of the requirements. Let’s jump right into it!

When Should I Start Applying For Jobs ?

Great question! Ideally you already have in mind what job you want to apply for and you read my blog on when it’s time to quit your job and you have crafted an escape plan. Now is the time to start looking at job boards, forums and websites, where you will find postings for the job you want to apply for, with a description, conditions and requirements.

As someone who has had a chance to be on the recruiters side, let me tell you that those job ads are an idealized (maybe even fantasized!) version of the desired candidate.

You may think this doesn’t make sense, but employers want to get the best possible candidate, especially in a competitive industry. So they place various requirements in terms of education, experience, skills and even references to get a top-notch pool of candidates to choose from. Generally, you would not even look at candidates who do not have about 80% of the requirements listed. Which also answers your question on when you should start applying - start applying as soon as you meet roughly 80% of the general requirements you know are needed for the job you want to land.

What About The 20% of The Requirements I Am Missing? 

First let’s clarify this. How you approach these 20% of requirements depends on what you are exactly missing because not all requirements carry equal weight. Think common sense -  if the job has any requirement titled as ‘mandatory’ and you do not have that, chances are you can meet 99% of the requirements and you will not land that job.

As an example, a job post could say at the end ‘mandatory for the candidate to be fluent in French and English’. If you are fluent only in English, this job is not for you. No one will prevent you from applying. But you need to be realistic that you may not be the perfect fit unless you can become fluent in French in the span of time from sending an application to having your first interview.

Become aware of what requirements you are missing. Get the mandatory requirements you need and please do not try to fake what you do not have. It can backfire on you, and if you think the interviewer will never know you are lying, think again. The person interviewing you is trained to watch your body language and facial expressions and will value your honesty and integrity more,  than catching you pretending to be someone you are not. Make sure you have all mandatory requirements that may arise, present yourself in your honest best light and here is how we will cover up the 20% of requirements you haven’t met (yet!).

“The longer you wait, the more you are missing out on”
— Coach Ness

Your Guide To Start Applying For Jobs Today!

While there is not a one answer solution to exactly how to top off the 80% of requirements you have, there are several valuable methods you can incorporate into your cover letter, CV and interview. As you are unique, so is your circumstance. After you know what requirements you are missing, the most important thing is to focus on what expertise you have. Let me repeat that, you focus now on what you have, not what you lack. This means finding ways to demonstrate that these 20% are either not as important as the 80% you do have, that you have them but are not evident or that you will gain them soon and fast. Here 5 easy ways to do that right now!

1. Research & Preparation

Learn about the company, try to find out more about your potential recruiter/interviewer and write down questions you may want to ask at the end of the interview. Align your cover letter and CV with some of company values. When it comes to an actual interview, showing you did your homework is a big plus. It shows you are proactive and take the application seriously, setting you apart from other candidates. What it really does is gives the impression you would be an employee who wants to and can integrate easily into this new environment. Regarding the questions at the end of the interview - prepare interesting and relevant questions. Asking questions last-minute for the sake of just asking is worse than just thanking the interviewer for their time and wishing them a great day.

2. Express Your Personality & Enthusiasm

Your overall mood and tone can greatly impact the outcome of your application. This can show even in a CV, but is most notable if you send a cover letter and in interviews. That doesn’t mean you have to be over the moon on cloud nine, use a ton of exclamation marks and emojis in writing, but you need to set a positive tone, be enthusiastic about the position and curious about the company. No one wants to hire a grumpy, self-centered, disinterested employee, even if they are the best on paper. Be yourself, because hopefully you ARE enthusiastic about the job, happy to be interviewed and given a chance to show how great of a fit you really are. Feel free to ask (good questions) at the end of an interview as well!

Questions like ‘How do you see the role I am applying for progressing in the next X years?’ show your interest and motivation of staying long-term with the company if hired and are great for subtly showing your dedication and enthusiasm.

3. Find Transferrable Skills & Experience

This one requires a bit more brainstorming. After you are aware of which requirements you are missing, you will be surprised when I tell you chances are that some of them you are not missing at all. Ever heard of transferrable experiences and skills? Working in a fast-paced environment can be regarded as the ability to multitask when you showcase it properly. Volunteering to lead a team gives you leadership experience, even if you were not paid. Communication skills are still communication skills (broadly speaking) even if you worked in a call center and are now applying for a front office job. It’s like a puzzle game of finding similarities. Know your transferrable skills and experiences and put them out there proudly and confidently! Which brings us to…

4. Address Your Missing Requirements Properly!

I mentioned you need to know what requirements you are missing because it will catch the recruiters eye when you send you application and it will come up in the interview. You need to face it head on.

Example: ‘We generally only hire only candidates who have 5+ years in leading small teams and you have only 2 years. Why should we choose you over other highly qualified candidates?’. There is a catch on how to respond. First acknowledge the situation, then prove your expertise and finally seal the deal on why you are the better choice.

‘I understand you may have many qualified candidates who have 5 years of experience, but in my 2 years of experience I have achieved X, Y and Z and have references from colleague A and manager B who can certify that my 2 years of experience are worth as 5 years of other candidates.’  This way you show that you are not intimidated, but rather 100% sure in your capabilities and confident in being a top-tier candidate. 

5. Demonstrate Motivation to Improve & Learn

Show that you are willing to improve and learn in a new environment and contribute to the team, despite the knowledge and expertise you already posses. This is especially valuable if you are missing certain skills or certifications that you can obtain within a realistic time-frame. Some employers look for employees they can ‘mold’ to their standards, and will purposefully hire only those who are flexible enough to learn and adapt, so this is something you should always keep in mind. Additionally, the concept of life-long learning has been around for decades and that is something you can mention as a professional interest as well! 

Why Am I Still Doubting Myself?

Because you fear that applying with 80% of the requirements gives you a higher chance of being rejected, so you would rather wait or skip it entirely. Reality check: if you do not apply, you are already rejected. In fact, you rejected yourself! You can’t really blame the recruiter or company. Also, you have to tweak your mindset. Your application represents you, but it isn’t you.  Don’t take it personally, rather do the best you can to represent yourself in the best light possible.

No one was ever born ready. Sometimes the leap of faith can be more rewarding than waiting to be 100% prepared to jump in.

- Coach Ness

Why You Need To Start Applying ASAP

The longer you wait, the more you are losing out on potential opportunities and precious momentum. And not just potential opportunities to land the job you want, but opportunities to practice the actual art of attending interviews. Once you make that tailored and perfectly crafted CV (you did that, right?) and send it, you may end up in… your first interview round. You heard that right. Round one. The game is long and it’s not going to wait for you!

So start applying and attending interviews because at the very least you need practice. Mock interviews can help, but they cannot replicate your physiological and emotional state when you attend a real life interview. Take every interview as a chance to learn and improve even if you don’t get feedback directly from the recruiter. You can always record your session as a voice memo and review it on your own later. It is up to you to change your life but you need to take action now, unless you want to keep living the life you already have.

It is not failure if you take it as feedback and use it to improve!

- Coach Ness

And if you are wondering what happened with my client who didn’t believe he can land his dream job without meeting 100% of all the requirements - he did just that and is very happy with his new job. We applied the same methods I outlined in this blog and his confidence rose enough to start applying. Once he did, landing that job was easy as one-two-three. The most important thing you need to remember is that you can land your perfect job even if you think you are not 100% qualified. 

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Hi, I am Coach Ness! I guide professionals like you to tap into their maximum potential and live the life and career of their dreams. With over ten years experience in management, recruiting, events, tourism and hospitality, I have crafted my coaching programs to help you gain leadership and public speaking skills, establish a work-life balance, beat burnout and achieve any goal you desire!

Book a FREE Discovery Session and take control of your life today!

Vanessa Durman
Next

Ready to Change Careers? 6 Signs It's Time to Quit Your Job!