You Don’t Need to Meet Every Qualification to Apply for a Job

One of your biggest concerns as a college graduate is landing your first job. But when you look at the qualifications in many role descriptions, you may worry that there’s no way you’ll get the job, never mind an interview. The reality is that you don’t need to have all of the qualifications listed to apply. Too many people, especially women, focus on jobs that they are overqualified for – and that’s a mistake and can lead to becoming stagnant in your career. An upward trajectory in the workplace requires consistent acquisition of the set of skills needed to take on the next position. Learning these skills when you’re in a position for which you are overqualified will require that you learn “off the clock” rather than incorporating learning into the daily performance of your job. So look for a position that will stretch you, not one where you can already tick all of the boxes.