Everyone knows that they should apply for jobs that they’re qualified for. Engineers apply for engineering positions, marketers apply for marketing positions, and everyone stays within their industries.

However, the trouble arises when jobseekers start to apply for those jobs that they think they’re “perfect” for, but neglect to really read the ad and what they’re looking for. Here’s an example of what I mean.

The ad states that they’re looking for someone with 2-3 years of experience, and you have 10+ years of experience. In your mind you’re probably thinking one of two things
1. Hey, I’ve got even MORE than what they need, I’m a shoe in!
2. I’ll apply to this and they’ll see how fabulous I am, they’ll call me for another position in the company.

Here’s why the above 2 rationales don’t work:

Rationale #1: A hiring manager has listed 2-3 years of experience on there for a reason. First, they don’t have the salary line to pay what you would want with your 10 years of experience, and second, the tasks that this person will be doing are actually what you were doing 7 or 8 years ago—in other words—menial. There is NO WAY that they would look at your resume and think—yeah, I’m sure this person wants to take a STEP BACK in their career. I’m so exited that they want to go back to grunt-work. I’ll give them a call. Makes no sense. Your only hope of this working is if you directly discuss and acknowledge it in your cover letter—that you’re trying to make a career change and completely understand that the pay scale is totally different since you are starting out in a new career. It’s still a long shot, but sending in a resume without calling out the discrepancy is instant suicide.

Rationale #2: Yes, this could happen. I know that the HR Directors who read this will send me nastygrams saying that it is so rare that it’s the same as an impossibility, but I do know a case where it did come true. Basically with this strategy, you’re banking on whoever is reading the resumes to know who else in the company is hiring and to care enough to forward your resume to that person, or to hang onto yours because they’re so overwhelmingly impressed that they will pass it along when something opens up. This can happen, but if you do decide to take a shot and apply, at the very least, call out your intent in the cover letter so they know that you’re not dumb enough to assume that your 10 years of experience is going to get you an entry level job. THEN, in your mind where you’re keeping score of all the jobs you’re applying for—do NOT count this one as a possibility. It’s a Hail Mary application. Nothing more. Let it go. You’re better served networking your way into a company.

Next week…common job posting terms that tells you NOT to apply. (but you’ve been applying anyway).