There’s no such thing as a perfect candidate.
If you’re a job seeker in the current tech market, you can rest assured that companies are looking for a solid fit to fill their open roles. They’re not searching for a piece in a jigsaw puzzle; they’re mixing ingredients to make a gourmet ratatouille. And many factors are taken into consideration, such as cultural fit and balancing out the soft skills in the existing team members.
As a tech recruiting expert with over ten years’ experience working in the industry with clients from pre-seed to Series E, I would strongly encourage you to jump in and apply for a job that resonates with you, even if it’s slightly out of your range of experience.
A caveat: Do you meet the basic technical qualifications? The question to ask yourself is, Can I see myself doing this job?If your dream job is translating Manga but you can’t actually read Japanese, no amount of confidence will overcome that skillset deficit. Having said that, the company weighs some skills and experiences on the job description more heavily than others. If you think you can do it, and your skillset checks most of the boxes, you have nothing to lose by applying!
Women and people of color need to hear this. According to the Harvard Business Review, women are 16% less likely to apply to a job after viewing it, and also apply to 20% fewer jobs than men. Many hold back if they don’t meet 100% of the criteria. Men usually apply if they meet about 60%.
Rather than dwell on your (so-called) shortcomings, focus on why you may be the secret sauce their company needs.
1. Identify your transferable skills that can benefit the company.
Transferable skills aren’t job specific. They’re learned and developed through a variety of activities. And they’re necessary in any professional role. This includes the hard skills, such as coding, as well as soft skills, such as time management, leadership, and team building.
There’s a reason why we sit through guppy swim classes at the YMCA with our preschooler, even though we’re pretty sure he’s not going to be the next Michael Phelps. Aside from water safety, we want our kids to practice soft skills that they’ll need to be well-adjusted grown-ups. Learning a new activity, like swimming, requires problem solving and discipline. It’s the same with us. Our activities demonstrate this skill set to future employers.
Call attention to your volunteer work or internship opportunities, especially in a situation where your professional years of experience falls short of the company’s recommended minimums. Talk about your hobbies. These are the places where your transferable skills shine. It shows that you’re an interesting person to work with, too.
2. Communicate your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.
This works to the advantage of anyone working in the tech industry, because things change at lightning speed. Cutting edge skills are obsolete in the blink of an eye. Find examples of where you took the initiative to learn something new and bring this up in the interview.
You can also demonstrate that you’re a learner by doing your homework- research the company thoroughly before the interview, so that you’re able to speak intelligently about how your qualifications can help them accomplish their mission and values. A little motivation goes a long way.
3. Your skillset may be a closer match than you think if the job listing is outdated or missing key information.
It’s not uncommon for a company to recycle an old job description for a new role. Things might have changed since the last time they posted. When this happens, it’s not as easy for you to determine how close of a fit you are, to what they need.
The job description may also be a little too idealistic. Most companies know better than to chase after an elusive purple squirrel, but some might be tempted to search anyway. In this case, no one is going to meet the requirements- because these candidates don’t exist.
In these situations, it’s up to the company to make adjustments to their job description. It’s up to you to apply anyway and work it out in the hiring process.
4. Highlight your unique experiences and perspectives. You have a lot to offer!
Your path of life has equipped you to bring fresh ideas to the table. Companies are starting to recognize this and highly value it. DE&I initiatives are calling attention to the profound benefits of incorporating insights from all points of view into business decisions.
Communicate how your perspective is specifically valuable to the role you’re applying for. The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method can help you tell a clear story about how your past experiences have prepared you for the job.
5. Demonstrate awareness and knowledge of new tech industry trends.
Not as many people read up on their industry as you might think. When you’re in the know, it’s a competitive advantage. Catch up on what’s going on in your industry right now so you can speak to it in the interview- whether it’s regarding marketing methodologies or a product. Share how the company can benefit from you bringing this knowledge to the role. Startups are always evolving to deliver a quality product, and to stay ahead of the competition. Knowledge is power.
You don’t need 100% of the skills in a job posting to apply for a role. If a position looks exciting to you, if you have some experience, and if you’re interested in learning new skills, go for it! The worst they can say is “no.” You’ll never know until you try.
