Common Questions

Job descriptions can be intimidating, but they often reflect an "ideal" situation. No one is expected to meet 100 percent of job requirements. So it's important to focus on the minimum, not the desired or preferred requirements.

To determine whether it's worth your time to apply, first identify the specific skills needed to fulfill those responsibilities. Then evaluate whether you have demonstrated them in your various roles.

On the other hand, if you've worked with databases, just not a particular software, shift the emphasis to your years of experience, notable accomplishments, and, of course, all the applications you do have expertise with.

Bottom line: Don't rule yourself out too quickly. Dig deeper and you may surprise yourself.

As we may not always remember what we've specifically done on various projects, it's helpful to break down the specific things we were responsible for and what we did to accomplish them Then compare what you did to the job in question. Skills that are common are your transferable skills.

Last, evaluate the extent of any gaps. Having only one of five years of experience, for example, is too far of a stretch.