Tips for Overcoming Job Description Anxiety

Job seekers, I love you, but STOP SELF-REJECTING. All day long I talk with people who don't apply for jobs because they don't check off everything on the list. They say to me, "I can do this job, I know I can, but I don't have the degree, or the number of years of experience, or [insert excuse here]..." To which I say, if you know you can do the job, APPLY. Even if you don't check every box in the job description. The key: be specific about how your past skills transfer to your new job. You need to communicate, "𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺/𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁/𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁." You must speak to their problems/wants/needs, make it clear you understand them and you know how to solve it. Then provide examples to back it up. • Customize your resume for the job using the keywords from the job description. 𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳. (Remove whatever isn't relevant to the job you're applying for.) • Explain in your cover letter: "Though my background might differ from your traditional candidates, 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 [𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺/𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁/𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱], 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄..." Then list bullet point examples about how you have done this job in the past. Hiring managers and recruiters are very busy. Make it simple and easy for them to understand how you can help. Connect the dots for them, bang them over the head with it: "𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺/𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁/𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱, 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼𝗼." I'm rooting for you. 👊 #jobseekers #jobhunt #resume #OpentoWork

Controversial opinion time! I recently had a conversation with a friend that inspired this post. I sent her a job description I thought she should consider. Her immediate response was, "I don't meet the minimum," - to which I said, "Apply anyway." You see, studies show that women tend to only apply for jobs if they meet 100% of the criteria, while men will apply even if they meet just 60%. This isn't just a statistic; it directly reflects how we approach opportunities and measure our capabilities. As Executive Assistants, we're no strangers to wearing multiple hats, juggling tasks that often stretch beyond our job descriptions. Yet, when applying for new roles, many of us fall into the trap of doubting our capabilities, fixated on ticking every box of experience or requirement listed - because at our core, we are "box checkers," queens & kings of thorough work and making sure every obstacle has been handled or avoided. Here's the thing, though: job descriptions are merely wishlists, not rigid checklists. They outline the ideal scenario a hiring manager is looking to find, but the reality is that the perfect candidate doesn't exist. We each bring a unique blend of skills, experiences, and perspectives that can add unparalleled value to a role—even if we don't meet every "requirement." The key to breaking this cycle? Its confidence. Confidence in your ability to learn, adapt, and conquer challenges, as you've repeatedly done. It's about shifting your mental narrative from "Do I have all the required experience?" to "Can I do this job?" and "Can I do it well?" And more often than not, the answer is a resounding yes. Remember, it's not just about what you've done but how you've done it and your ability to be resilient and do more without experience. That is, after all, how you get the knowledge that is so often sought after. The skills you've honed as an Executive Assistant—problem-solving, adaptability, communication—are invaluable and transferable to many roles and industries. So, to my fellow EAs questioning whether to apply for that role because you don't check every box (or anyone reading this): leap. When you do, please apply with the confidence of someone who knows their worth and is ready to bring their authentic self to the table. #executiveassistants #careergrowthtips #confidencebuilding #jobhuntingtips

Dear Job Seeker, My son is looking for a job, and like many of you, he is struggling. He recently moved to an area without many jobs in his field. So, getting an interview was a major triumph. He was interviewed for a job that I call a Swiss Army Knife job. Like a Swiss Army Knife with its multiple tools, this job demanded the ability to wear many hats and handle various tasks across different areas. Frankly, the job had unrealistic requirements, especially for the title and pay, but that is another discussion. Now, he had no experience in some areas and a lot of experience in others. As we prepped for the interview, he was getting overwhelmed by his lack of experience in some areas. Thoughts like: -I can't do that -I can't learn that -I won't be good at that. Anyone who has been following me knows I hate that talk. So, when my children became self-defeatists, I would do this: We flipped that script. -You haven't done that yet. -You haven't learned that yet. -You are not good at that yet. Changing his mindset changed his confidence. We spoke about what he knew (he did much research to get up-to-speed on several aspects of the role) and how he could lean into what he did well to compensate for his lack of experience in other areas. I have no idea if he will get this job. But whatever the outcome, he went into that interview more confident and understanding of his value. Don't measure yourself against a job description to determine your worth. You have unique strengths, skills, values, and personality-based interests that make you valuable. Embrace that. Now, go have a wonderful weekend. ---- Struggling to showcase your potential? I help job seekers unlock their confidence and land jobs where they can thrive. Like this post? Comment, like, and share with others. Follow and ring the bell to find new posts from me.