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