Why You Should ALWAYS Apply When Job Hunting
Written by Jodi Loar
Picture it.
You find the PERFECT job posting.
Location ✔ Yes, right down the road!
Education requirement ✔ Exactly what I have!
Years of experience ✔ I actually have MORE years than they’re asking!
Javascript ✔ I’m a Javascript wiz!
Python ✔ I love Python!
AWS ✔ SO much experience with AWS!
Typescript…..Unfortunately, I am NOT a super duper Typescript wiz, so obviously this job is not a good fit, and I will now skip over it in hopes that the perfect job listing exists.
We’ve been fighting for years for a seat at the table. Why are we trying to convince ourselves we don’t belong?
While it seems dramatic, statistically, women talk themselves out of applying for jobs on a regular basis. We skip job posts that could potentially be a great fit because of a small caveat. Research shows that many women will not apply for a role unless they are confident they meet 100% of the requirements. Men often apply after meeting only 60% of the requirements.
We find ourselves saying ‘no’ before we consider what the positive outcome could be. What if we treated every potential gamble like that? Not playing the game because we might not win, not learning a new skill because we might not be great at it. Eventually, the examples become kind of ridiculous. Not going to the store because we might not get a good parking spot, or not eating a piece of fruit because it might not be as sweet as we’d like. How many times has an opportunity come around and you’ve hemmed and hawed and mulled it around in your mind?
It’s important to remember that companies may be flexible in what they're looking for when reviewing applications or sourcing candidates. But why take my word for it? We spoke with Jamie Kaszowicz, a Senior Executive Recruiter with Honeywell for Honeywell Forge and the Connected Enterprise (HCE) business, who gave us a ton of insight into the hiring process. “Think of applying to a job posting as a way of getting your profile in front of those who are linked to the hiring process and engage directly with hiring managers across the organization. Sometimes, recruiters are looking for “unicorns,” that “ideal” profile that may be a needle in a haystack. If that “unicorn” is hard to find or maybe doesn’t even exist, then the hiring manager may change the criteria based on who IS applying. Additionally, there are likely other opportunities throughout the organization or coming down the pipeline, or even roles that exist but aren’t posted, that may be a better fit for the applicant. Do not hesitate to apply for a job that might be a stretch – have the confidence to put yourself out there! At the very least, the candidate profile is now in the company database for recruiters to search in the future.”
The companies posting with Women Who Code want to align themselves with our mission. They are specifically looking at our community, (PS- YOU’RE a part of this community!!) even if the job post doesn't align 100% with your skillset. Maybe next time one of those opportunities comes around, push yourself to apply. Even if it doesn’t seem like the perfect fit.
You might not get the job.
But here’s the thing.
You might.