Do Job Posting Requirements & Qualifications Have You Saying WTF? Here's How To Respond.
Whether you are a high school graduate, a college student seeking your first degree-related job, or a more seasoned professional looking for a new opportunity, you’ve likely experienced the following scenario:
You start reading a job posting and think to yourself, “OMG, I’m such a great fit for this role.” And then, inevitably, you get toward the bottom of the job posting to a section called “Requirements” or “Qualifications” and your OMG turns into WTF. You are in shock as you continue reading: “Five years’ experience for an entry level job?” or “Bachelor’s degree for this job?” or “Does that really say Master’s degree PLUS 3 years’ experience?” or “I need ALL those skills?”
It doesn’t make sense to you. The narrative description of the role seems like something you are ideal for. The duties and responsibilities listed are ones you’ve done, or have the skills to do, or are confident you can quickly learn given your education and/or experience. And yet, the job posting is sending you a clear message – YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED because you don’t have X, or Y, or Z, or X, Y, and Z.
If you’re like most people, you self-select out. You don’t apply. You disqualify yourself from the job based on wording of the job posting. And in doing so, the company misses the opportunity to connect with a great candidate and you lose a tiny amount of confidence, enthusiasm, and motivation, not to mention a potentially great fitting job.
So, what’s going on with these job postings and how can you better respond the next time your OMG turns into a WFT? Let’s take a look:
What’s going on with THE COMPANY:
1. They are increasing education, skill, and experience requirements to shrink their applicant pool to find the *purple squirrel (perfect candidate who has every single qualification they are looking for). They believe that more education, skills, and experience requirements will attract "better applicants." They want non-purple squirrels to self-select out of the process. (*Please know there are no purple squirrels).
2. The job posting may be outdated and/or the requirements may not be valid. Believe it or not, not every job posting/description accurately reflects what the job entails. It’s very likely that the job posting/description has not gone through a proper job analysis. It may have been recycled from 7 years ago without being updated. It may have been created and posted by someone who isn’t familiar with the job specifications. It may be that the qualifications being asked for sound logical, but in reality are not necessary for success in the role. And on, and on, and on. The point is, just because a job posting says something doesn’t make it true.
What’s going on with YOU:
1. You think job requirements are rules (they’re not). You think job requirements/qualifications are absolutes, when in most instances they are preferences (even if not stated). And because you are looking at requirements as rules and absolutes, you opt out of applying.
2. You may be lacking confidence in either your qualifications for the job, or the odds of being contacted by the company should you actually apply for the job. You’re thinking you aren’t qualified so it’s not worth applying, or there is no way the company will respond positively so why waste your time. You are defaulting to no, rather than yes.
How to BETTER RESPOND:
Remind yourself there are no purple squirrels you are competing against.
Remind yourself that the job requirements may not be accurate, up-to-date, or valid.
Tell yourself that job requirements are rarely rules or absolutes – only preferences.
Tell yourself that the person most recently in the target role likely didn’t meet all the job requirements.
Tell yourself that you may be the most qualified person for the job (even if you don’t meet all the requirements), but that if you don’t apply, you’ll never be hired.
Tell yourself that if you meet even some of the qualifications, you are going to apply.
Tell yourself, “Bill Leonard said never disqualify myself from a job, let the employer do that.”
Apply! And then have your contact inside the company (because you’ve been networking, right?) follow up with the recruiter or hiring manager and put in a good word for you.
There are only so many companies and leaders you want to work for, and roles to work in. Don’t let WTF job requirements suppress your initial OMG excitement about a job opportunity. By understanding company motives and actions when it comes to the job posting, as well as the typical job seeker’s mindset, you’ll move forward in your job search with more insight, confidence, enthusiasm, and motivation. If you are excited about a job and meet even some of the requirements or qualifications, just apply.
Remember, never disqualify yourself from a job – let the company do that.
[Originally published on LinkedIn on May 23, 2021: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-job-posting-requirements-qualifications-have-you-leonard-mhrm/]