Don't Meet the Hiring Requirements? This Could Help...
J.T. O'Donnell
Founder & CEO, Work It DAILY | Board of Directors & CMO, McCoy | Career & Professional Development | Job Search | HR & Recruiting | Employer Branding | Recruitment Marketing | Talent Management | Executive Coaching
"Dear J.T.,
I've been with the same company for 10 years and I'm ready to make a change. All the jobs I see online that I want are asking for a degree. I never went to college. I needed to go to work straight out of high school to help my family. Is there anything I can say in the cover letter or on my resume to convince them to interview me? I'm very hard working and successful. How do I prove my experience is better than the degree?"
It's not uncommon to find the phrase "Bachelor's Degree Required" in many job descriptions today. Top recruiters like, Lou Adler, have been writing about why an arbitrary list of requirements makes job descriptions useless, but until companies finally understand how to hire based on accomplishments, these types of "hiring checklists" will continue to hurt those who are seen as not qualified - even though they are.
Here's an article that outlines how a veteran who opted to only get his Associate's Degree when he used the GI Bill is now finding it impossible to get interviews. In spite of his incredible experience and accomplishments, all the jobs he wants are asking for that Bachelor's degree too - so he needs a technique to get past the hiring checklist.
Alternative: Go Around The Online Process
Humans hire humans. They look for the right combination of three things: personality, aptitude, and experience. Digital application scanners can't measure the first two. Which means, if you want to off-set the fact you don't have the exact qualifications, you'll need to connect with a human related to the hiring process to show them what you lack in skills you make up for in other ways.
Tip #1: Find 5 people on LinkedIn that work at the employer. See if you are indirectly connected via friends, family and colleagues and ask for an introduction. If not, customize your connection request and see if they'd be willing to speak to you so you can learn more about the company and what it might take to get hired if you don't have the exact skills needed.
Tip #2: Get involved in more in-person networking groups. Join local associations. Volunteer to run group networking events. Offer to give a short training or presentation on a subject in your field of expertise. The more you can engage fellow professionals in a way that naturally showcases your knowledge and experience, the more likely you'll get recommended to people who can help you get past the online gatekeepers.
Step 3: Put together a targeted Career Buddy group. Unlike big job seeker groups that can become more grief support in nature and feel less productive, a Career Buddy group is a collection of 3-5 people at your age/skill level that are looking for work. You meet weekly and spend time reviewing one others connections to determine how you can facilitate introductions for one another. By concentrating your efforts, each member of the group knows they will get some good results. Plus, when the group is smaller, you can really hold each other accountable and help each other stay motivated when dealing with the challenges of not meeting typical job requirements.
What other tips can readers share? What can job seekers say or do to get a shot at those jobs they know they can be great at, but don't appear as such on paper?
If you want to read more of what I've written, check out my articles on Inc.com.
P.S. - First time reading my posts? Thanks for taking the time to stop by! Not only do I write for Linkedin, but I'm also founder of the career advice site, CAREEREALISM, and currently run the career coaching program, CareerHMO. I hope you'll check them both out!
If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also like:
CAREEREALISM’s Founder, J.T. O’Donnell is a nationally syndicated career expert and workplace consultant who helps American workers of all ages find greater professional satisfaction. Her book, CAREEREALISM: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career, outlines her highly successful career-coaching methodology. Purchase her e-book of CAREEREALISM for only $9.95 by clicking here!
Image above by Shutterstock
Innovative Technical Program Manager (TPM) with extensive experience in product development & program management.
7yHiring is not an issues based game. It's a perceptions based blood bath.
Innovative Technical Program Manager (TPM) with extensive experience in product development & program management.
7yUnless HR has a policy of requirement equivalence there is very little chance of breaking into fort Knox. It is a very rare day the hiring manager will hear you out and pitch for you with HR. Employees fight shy of recommending unknown people for obvious reasons. It's a really rough reality out there.
EMBA | Business Dev't | Strategic Partnerships | Project Mgt
7yMy experience unfortunately hasn't been very successful. Even when the contacts agree to add me as a connection. They don't respond to your questions. Makes me wonder why they accepted the connection request in the first place.
Experienced Personnel Recovery Operations Analyst and PR Program Coordinator/Trainer
7yI have found that having everything they ask for isn’t enough either. I'm so frustrated by meeting and/or exceeding the hiring requirements and still not getting the job (or even an interview for that matter). I guess I thought my 24 years of military service would serve me better at getting at least my foot in the door, especially with regard to government service. I retired because I needed a new challenge. Well I sure did find it. I never guessed it would be finding a job in my field. Apparently all of these vet hiring initiatives are only good if you were a Field Grade or General Officer or are willing to work in retail or food service.
Storyteller looking to help you tell your story in your own words
7yI've been facing the same stigma. Three years of college but no degree. I often feel like a leper when I get to the bottom of a recruitment ad and see that "Bachelors degree required" part. It's awful. I'm working to do creative things to add to my LinkedIn profile so that I stand out more. I am an award-winning journalist with a full toolbox of marketing and sales skills that should make me a shoe-in for most copywriting jobs. After reading this, I'm going to hold my head high and dive in.