Applying for jobs your resume says you're not qualified for
There comes a time when you see a job posting that you know you
can perform the duties as they are described but you also know
that you do not have any documented experience on your resume to
prove it. If this is the case, you have several options.
The old fashioned approach
Back in the good old days, your father (or father figure) would
tell you to get a job that will give you the experience
necessary to qualify for the position.
Unfortunately, in today's ever-changing and dynamic job market,
this might not be a viable option. It is almost guaranteed that
the position you originally looked at that you were not
qualified for will be filled.
Finally, who's to say that once you get the requisite experience
for the position you won't be overqualified in other areas and
therefore be disqualified as a candidate? What's a person to do
in these types of situations?
The New Approach
Although hiring practices have not changed much in the past 10
to 20 years, there is a lot more flexibility in choosing
candidates for a position. Your first option would be to try and
get a lesser position with the same company in the hopes of
moving up to the position once your qualifications match. While
tedious, this is sometimes the best solution.
You can also create a custom cover letter that expounds on why
you can fill the position even though you do not have the
documented experience. If you have retail experience in
processing monthly bills but are trying to get into corporate
accounting, compare the similarities in the duties you performed
to those described in the job posting.
You can also customize your resume so that your duties at
previous employers, while not exactly the same as those in the
new job, run closely parallel to the requirements of the new
job. You should never lie on your resume but if you are trying
to get a job writing and editing contracts and all you have ever
done is write a section of a new employee handbook, list out the
comparable res