Why you should Apply for A Job Even if You Are Not a Good Fit

Date Posted: 09/28/2016

You see a job posting with a job description below and you feel, wow, I can do it. Nakaka-excite at gusto mo nang mag-apply na agad, but as you scroll further down to the skills section, biglang alanganin na pala! You see that you do not match all the skills required for the job and then, you are not sure – mag-a-apply ka pa ba o hindi na?

Well, if you come across this situation, hindi mo naman kailangang mag-alinlangan. Just apply for that job! The reason is simple; the skill requirements are mostly a “wish list” of the recruiter. These are qualities that the employers are looking for in their ideal candidate. Bihira namang makahanap ng ideal candidate sa deadline at minsan, the employer settles for someone who needs the most important skill sets and has potential to grow into the job.

To apply or not to apply?

You can follow the 80/20 rule here. Kung sa tingin mo ay you will be able to perform 80 percent tasks of the job description easily, go for it. You are obviously a good candidate who can do almost everything that is expected of you and the employer knows that you will soon be able to pick up ton the 20% of the job that is not familiar to you.

• You might be the best
Let’s say 15 people applied for the job. You think you are under-qualified but you have applied anyway. Next, you are called for the interview and after interviewing all other candidates, they find that you have the best matching experience and qualification and you get selected. Now, do you really want to miss this opportunity?

• Nobody gets ideal candidates
The ideal candidate list is just a list at the end of the day. The employer is always ready to compromise on a few requirements if they think that you show potential and have done well in your previous jobs. The fact that you are being interviewed means you have a good shot at getting the job. Usually, an employer would hire someone who fits 70-80% of the requirements and has the right attitude, personality and desire to grow.
How to apply, if you decide to apply.

• Work samples
Consider taking a few work samples or examples with you, if your type of work has any. These days, you can carry them as images in your mobile or iPad or laptop. These samples usually interest the employer and will always lead to interesting questions which you can turn into opportunities to demonstrate your skills and accolades.

• Get a Referral
Never forget the power of networking. Kung marami kang koneksyon, mas mabuti. See if you can get yourself introduced through someone or find referral(s) through the internet; LinkedIn has been recently serving as a powerful tool for finding your connections.

Still thinking?

• Don’t be afraid of rejection
Remember rejection is only a process of getting to selection. And you need only one selection, so forget about those 100’s of rejection and think about the one selection na makakamtam mo ang pinapangarap mong job abroad!

• Don’t let your self-doubt come in the way of your dream job
If you doubt yourself, you will never succeed in life. Self-doubt is more dangerous than lack of experience or qualifications because no matter how good you are, you are the one who is coming in your own way to getting your dream job. Have faith in yourself and others will have faith in you too.

I am sure after reading all this, you will be pepped up to get on with your next job search and apply to the right ones. Just a word of caution here, if you don’t meet the minimum requirements or only 20-30% of what is required, then avoid wasting your time in applying to such jobs and move towards the ones where you stand at more than 60-70% of requirements.
Happy job hunting!! Hope you get your dream job abroad soon.