Want to change jobs, careers or land a promotion but feel you are under-qualified? You are not alone. Most clients who come to us believe they are lacking the skills or experience needed to land the job they really want. First, you are likely WAY more qualified than you give yourself credit. That said, we have a simple formula you can follow to identify and gain any experience you are lacking.
Step 1: Find a Job Description
Find a job description or job posting for the type of role you want. If you are not targeting a specific company, pull 2 or 3 job descriptions for comparison!
Step 2: Identify What They Want
Look through the job description(s) and make a list of everything companies say they want in their ideal candidate. If you pulled multiple job descriptions, many of the skills will overlap. Note these as key qualifications and list the rest as optional.
Step 3: Check All the Experiences You Already Have
Think about experiences you’ve gained in your current and past roles. Draw a check mark next to the requirements you currently fulfill. Don’t get tripped up by industry lingo…. If you have a relatable experience, it counts!
Step 4: Find Your Experience Gap
If you can check off at least 60-70% of the qualifications, than you’re ready for the job! If not (or if you want to seal the deal), then it’s time to skill up. Identify which experiences you can gain in the shortest period of time and circle them.
Step 5: Skill Up
Take control of your career by creating the opportunities you need to accomplish the experiences you circled. Here are a few simple ways you can skill up quickly:
✦ Take on a special project or assignment
✦ Tell your boss what you want to learn and ask for an upcoming opportunity
✦ Volunteer with a non-profit and specify the skill/task you are looking to do
✦ Shadow a friend or colleague to learn more about the area
Ultimately, you are in control of where your career heads. If your career is not heading in the direction you want, then take the reins and steer it where you want to head!
Still feeling uncertain? We are here to help. Find out more here.