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So you got laid off, and you are hunting for a new job or perhaps a new career? Well, if you are, chances are you come across job listings that you’re qualified for but also well-paid jobs that you’re not necessarily qualified for.

Then, often, the question comes up if you should bother to apply for a job you are not really qualified for. Well, to determine if you should or not, let’s take a look at some pros and cons.

Pros

This may come as a surprise, but the biggest pro of applying to a job you’re not qualified for is unexpected. There are numerous employers who just schedule a job interview without actually reading or examining the applicant’s resume first.

Often, this happens when the company needs to hire an employee or when there aren’t that many applicants. When that occurs, chances are that your resume doesn’t necessarily have to do all the talking for you. In fact, your personality will do so.

Each year, there are so many instances where employers will actually hire an applicant who isn’t necessarily qualified for the position at hand.

The reasons for hiring non-qualified applicants vary, but generally, the employers were simply very impressed with the applicant’s personality, his or her desire to succeed, and their professional and personal goals.

Another pro of applying for a position you’re not necessarily qualified for is some other opportunity, often offered by the same employer that you applied for initially. It happens quite regularly that employers are hiring for multiple positions, and they may have several job openings that will get you $50k a year or more.

You may perhaps not directly be qualified for the job you applied for, but the employer may have some other position available that you are perfectly suited for.

When a recruiting agency or employer is impressed with your resume, an interview is scheduled, and your personality is appealing to the employer, you may stand a pretty good chance of getting a job.

It may be eventually for a different position, but you’ve secured a job, and in these strange days, that may be exactly what you need.

Cons

Sure, there are also some downsides to applying for a position you’re not directly qualified for.

One of the downsides is that you may actually give yourself a wrong impression of yourself, which might hurt your position in salary negotiations later on in the process.

Many employers get fed up and frustrated with applicants who know they’re not qualified for the job. From an employer’s perspective, it is a time-consuming and time-wasting exercise to sort through dozens or hundreds of job applications and resumes, knowing that a good deal of them come from individuals who don’t qualify for the position in the first place.

Often, these employers are part of a professional network that they may inform about applicants who apply for jobs that they’re not qualified for. Though this may be conflictive with privacy regulations, it could well harm your reputation and professional outlook, and don’t forget that today; the job search has changed considerably.

So to answer the question if applying for a position you’re not qualified for is a bit complicated. The decision as to whether doing so is wise or rather not is, of course, yours to make. You should simply use your best judgment.

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t apply for a job as a doctor, a top position in basic industries, or a teacher if you never had the required education and training or don’t hold the proper degree.

On the other hand, if you’re interested in a position as a retail manager and employers require applicants to hold a business degree, you may very well apply for the position if you’re currently working toward your degree (even if you do so on a part-time basis), or when you have many years of work experience in the retail business.

In case you’re invited for an interview, probably your qualifications for the job, or lack thereof, will arise. When you answer that sort of question, you should, of course, spin the interview in such a way that you’ll benefit.

You may, for example, respond by saying that you’re always up for an interesting challenge or explain in detail how you think you’re qualified for the position in another way. Defining success is complicated, and money alone won’t bring happiness, and liking the job is just as important

The one thing you definitely shouldn’t say is something like, “I hoped I would be lucky.” Answering this way will definitely ruin your chances of landing the job!

The Importance of a Professional Resume

When you’re on the hunt for a job, regardless of whether it’s for a position as a secretary, a contractor, or maybe a retail store manager, you’ll have to make sure your resume is up-to-par with professional requirements.

Often, resumes are used to supplement traditional job applications. There are several reasons why having a professional resume is important. Your resume is often the first thing that a recruiting officer or a hiring employer will see of you.

Today, most employers use the Internet to find qualified individuals for a position without meeting a prospective employee in person. Most applicants simply submit their applications by email or regular mail with their resumes attached.

And because this way, an employer will not meet you in person and not get an idea of your personality, your resume will essentially do all the talking for you. This is exactly why you must make sure that your resume feels and looks professional.

Many employers and recruiters classify all applicants merely based on resumes. So you’ll understand the importance of your resume giving a good first impression. There’s so much wrong with resumes, and you’ve got only one chance to do so, right?

A professional-looking resume is important because it can help you stand out. It really should give you an edge far above the competition. Your resume should be printed out on traditional, non-colored, white computer paper; using anything other than a standard font is out of the question, and it should be easy to read.

There are so many reasons why the resume you submit to a possible future employer should be really professional in nature. This term, professional in nature, means that your resume doesn’t really need to be professionally done.

Job applicants with some writing experience (especially regarding resumes) may well be able to make their own professional resumes. If that’s a problem, don’t hesitate to use the services of a professional resume writer.

Today, with competition hot for fewer and fewer open positions, the pressure is on, and job seekers with flawless interview skills will definitely have the upper hand.

There is heightened competition for the available open positions in today’s troubled economy. So it is important for job applicants to put their best foot forward in a job interview.

Job seekers want to stand out, and for the right reasons! Sure, the job-seeking process can be pretty frustrating, but candidates should focus on their strong traits, stay positive, and be prepared to sell their skill sets the best they can.

Here are some tips to help you be successful at your job interview in this  highly-competitive job market:

• Research, research, and research again – When you get into a job interview, be as knowledgeable as you can be about the company. When you know all about recent news and the role the company plays in the community. This will show the employer or the hiring manager that you want to be part of the organization and value their time. Just go online to collect all available background information. That’ll make you stand out!

• Keep it professional; don’t get personal – Even when the job interview is set in a casual atmosphere, make sure business decorum won’t disappear. As said earlier, research the company thoroughly, so you know what questions to ask. Don’t discuss too many personal issues; instead, focus on selling yourself and the position at hand.

• Stay positive – In these difficult times, many newly laid-off job seekers are going through tougher than usual experiences. But even if the process becomes frustrating, stay positive, whatever it takes. Keep also in mind that, regardless of how tempting it may be, saying negative things about a previous employer is out of the question. Hiring managers, recruiting agencies, and employers may get the idea that you might say similar things about their organization.

• Practice makes perfect – Nervousness is all-around in an interview. So practice a lot, get optimally prepared for the job interview, and learn to stay calm. You best go through all sorts of common job interview questions with a family member or friend. Also helpful is practicing in front of a mirror so you’ll be able to see and read your body language.

• Honesty is your best policy – If an unexpected question comes up and you can’t answer it, don’t pretend you know, and don’t lie. Just admit that you don’t know the answer and go on to explain how you could come up with or find a solution. This shows your resourcefulness.

• Persistence Pays Off! – In combat, there’s an old saying: When a fox chases a rabbit, who will win? The rabbit! Since the rabbit runs for his life, while the fox only runs for his dinner.

This interesting quote has been attributed to many great commanders, from George Washington to George Patton. But this sentiment is not only true in military strategies, but it also applies to job hunting.

Should you scale down your expectations?

If you’re only chasing success in your own chosen field, then you could well have to run for your life. Especially in these difficult times, you sometimes have to scale down your expectations and swallow your pride.

You may have to take a job that’s perhaps not as desirable or fancy as the last position you had, but if you put this in a broader perspective, it may just be a stepping stone, just a small part in a far larger plan.

Every step you’ll make, every job offer you’ll accept, even if you do it just to pay your bills, is ultimately a necessary piece within that ultimate, bigger plan, and how can you expect excellence if you aim for mediocrity? Now, this may be easy to say but far more difficult to do. Just keep in mind that, in the long run, every step counts.