CAREER TIPS - Worried You’re Not Qualified For The Job You Want? Apply Anyway—Here’s How

Posted 8th April 2025 • Written by Adunola Adeshola on forbes.com • • • • • •

Here’s how to actually evaluate whether you’re unqualified—and what to do if you realize this role is right for you.

Step One: Take an Honest Assessment

There’s a difference between unqualified and underqualified. Unqualified means you don’t meet any of the job requirements. Underqualified, on the other hand, means you don’t meet all of the requirements—but you do meet most. Unfortunately, it’s easy to assume you’re unqualified when a job feels out of your league, but in reality, you might simply be underqualified and still well-positioned to apply.

To assess where you stand, ask yourself three questions: Do I feel confident I can excel in this role after reading the job description? Do I meet at least 80% of the responsibilities and qualifications to position myself as a top candidate? Do I have past examples to showcase my ability to succeed in this role? If your answer is yes to all three of these questions, don’t let doubt talk you out of pursuing the opportunity.

Step Two: Identify Their Priorities

When searching for a new job, it’s natural to focus on your needs and wants. And who can blame you? You’re ready for a change in your career. However, to stand out in the hiring process, shift your focus to the company’s challenges, goals and needs instead.

Identifying their priorities will make you more memorable, more compelling, and more likely to get hired, even over candidates with more experience. For example, a client of mine was told by the hiring manager that they had another candidate with more years of experience, but they were excited to hire her because she truly understood what they needed.

You can get a similar outcome by analyzing the job description. But, instead of merely looking for your strengths, identify the results they want to achieve through the role. Recognizing and understanding their goals will help you articulate your experience in a relevant way, which brings us to step three.

Step Three: Make it Easy for Them

Now, it’s time to show and prove. While this approach applies to any position you want, it’s even more critical when you feel underqualified for your dream role. Rather than simply listing your most-prized accomplishments and sending off a general resume of your career history, ensure your resume conveys the company’s desired results in a way that directly resonates with their needs.

Even if you haven’t done exactly what they’re looking for, leverage the experience you do have to prove you can excel in the role. For example, maybe you haven’t managed a global team before, but you have led a team across multiple time zones. Or perhaps you’ve partnered with international cross-functional teams and designed a workflow to improve efficiency. All of that still counts as evidence that you can thrive in this role—especially if you meet the other key requirements.

Step Four: Go the Extra Mile

If you truly want to sidestep the masses, once your resume is ready, do some digging and send it to the supervisor of your desired role.

But, don’t stop there. Find someone at the company who you’d actually chat with in the hallway if you landed the job, and reach out to learn more about the company. Having candid conversations with potential future co-workers can give you insight into the role, company, and culture, which you can use to further stand out once you land the interview.

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