To apply or not to apply

Sarah528 · **Joined:** Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:45 pm **Posts:** 55

You've seen a job you think you could do well and you meet most, but not all, of the qualifications for it. Do you skip it and wait for something for which you're totally qualified or do you apply, pointing out how the skills you do have make you a good fit anyway?

It seems to me that employers know the kind of person they need and probably aren't going to consider people who don't fit the bill. On the other hand, maybe they're willing to be flexible for someone with different, but equally useful, talents. What do you think?

Terri2 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:51 pm **Posts:** 195

I have applied and gotten jobs where my qualifications didn't exactly match the qualifications the employer had listed for the job. The reason is because of my past responsibilities and experience; both work and life.

If the position is something you are really interested in and you truly feel you have the ability to meet the challenge presented in this new field then I say go ahead and apply.

Here are a couple of tips that might help the prospective employer take a second look at you.

Cover Letter Your cover letter is your first opportunity to make a good impression. Touch on what you love about the company, highlight the things you have done that make you qualified for the job and, above it all, keep it short and simple.

Resume Your resume is a synopsis of your work history. When stepping out of your 'box' and applying in a new field it is necessary to rework your resume to reflect the knowledge, experience and ambition that makes you a qualified candidate. Use words that are applicable and useful to this company. I suggest a little research into the company and industry to get a feel for the lingo.

Interview 'When' you make it to the interview process don't be afraid to ask questions of your own and apply your past experience to potential duties. Show a lot of interest and enthusiasm at the prospect of a new challenge.

Karen120 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 04, 2009 2:10 pm

I sayAPPLY anyways - at least I know that I do sometimes - if you feel comfortable and confident that you possess the majority of the job requirements. Not only that - maintain a consistent job search, inquiring and applying - even when you have a project going - improve your odds for consistent work flow and income!

FIRST, however, concentrate on your RESUME and COVER LETTER - crucial components of your job search "tool kit"

Make sure you have an updated resume, typically limited to 2 pages, in the most recent professional format, which includes:
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BRANDING - what is your career focus? Are you merely an "IT Professional" like thousands of others or are you a "Dynamic, High-Caliber Multimedia Technologist" ?
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NO objective - this is seen as too egocentric - you want to describe what benefits you can bring to the company, not what you want the company to do for you!
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Career summary - this now takes the place of the objective and is the most important part of your resume - you present a strong introduction to the skills and experience you can bring into a new position - include strategic KEYWORDS that catch the HR person or hiring manager's attention.
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Core competencies and areas of expertise - a quick overview of your most proficient skills offers clarity into why you can fill the position.
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Detailed job descriptions and duties- don't make the HR person or hiring manager try to guess where you have worked, what the company's purpose was, or what job responsibilities you fulfilled -AND be sure to use powerful ACTION verbs - not passive phrases like "responsible for" and "participated in".
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*ACCOMPLISHMENTS* - the HR person or hiring manager wants to see more than what you DID in previous jobs - he or she wants to see what you ACCOMPLISHED, how it benefited that company, and why this makes you an excellent candidate for the position under consideration - in other words, you SELL it, not TELL it!
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Education & Training-include your specific educational background, degrees earned, specialized training you have received.
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Awards, certifications, published works - the last section on the resume is usually reserved for listing these types of categories.

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Then, you need a professionalcover letter to further highlight your skills and explain why you are the best candidate for the position; you can include a sentence that says something like "While I may not have "x requirement," I am confident that my experience/expertise in ... makes me an excellent candidate for this position." Be courteous, but confident, and customize your cover letter to emphasize key points of the position for which you are applying!

Karen120 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 04, 2009 2:15 pm

Terri

... you posted very similar thoughts while I was doing some research for links to include in my very "long-winded" reply!!

Terri2 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:51 pm **Posts:** 195

Awesome tips Karen!! I'm so glad you've learned so much in your new position and are sharing that knowledge with us. Thank you so much.

Kim498 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 09, 2009 3:25 am **Posts:** 1

I am new to the virtual work world. I've joined this site, but I have not been able to apply for anything because 99.9% of the positions listed are available to "subscribers" only. Is it really worth the subscriber fee? Does anyone have experience with paying the fee and then never getting any work from this site? I don't have extra money to waste at the moment.

Rebecca AZ · **Joined:** Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:21 am **Posts:** 991

Great posts here Karen and Terri, extremely helpful for those looking for work and putting together their personal information and work skills

Kim I am sure of it that there are people who have found work from subscribing to Virtual Vocations and I am sure there are people who have not.

Possibly since you are new you have not noticed yet the daily free job leads that are on the home page of VV, you might check those out each day before jumping in with a subscription. Also there is a newsletter sent out to registered people on here with great opportunites, some paid and some not. Next look under Tamona's Tips under Job Leads and you will find some opportunties there. There are usually many job leads on this forum, just keep checking back.

When and if you feel comfortable you may want to try just a week's subscription and see if it helps you. This is a scam free site as much as humanly possible, so you can trust the jobs you will pay to find. Good luck to you in your job search. .

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