Alexis Senge JohnsonI was shocked to hear that women believe they have to meet 100% of the job qualifications listed on a posting while men believe they only have to meet 60% to be eligible for the position. Okay gals, why is it we are confident that we can give birth to and raise tiny humans without having any first hand experience about the adventure ahead (FYI…there’s no job description for motherhood) but when looking at a job posting we rule ourselves out if we can’t check off everything listed on it? What on earth is that all about?!
I’ll admit I’m as guilty as the rest of the bunch, but it wasn’t until now that I actually realized I had been doing it. If someone asks me for career advice, I tell them to throw caution to the wind and apply anyway. The best thing that happens is they call for an interview, the worse is you never hear from them and really that’s not the end of the world.
Maybe it’s because the society surrounding us consistently focuses on perfection and so we find ourselves not contenders without seeing ourselves in 100% of the qualifications. Regardless of what the root cause is, it’s about time we take a page out of the male handbook and start believing in ourselves. When I applied for my current position I knew it was flat out bold to do so. I applied and for months never heard back. As a matter of fact, when they called, I wasn’t even sure what job I had applied for since I applied months prior. However, that day I was filling out the application I had all the belief in my heart that I could pull off those job qualifications even if they didn’t see the experience blatantly displayed on my resume.
The biggest thing I learned from the whole experience is that I was right. Over a year and a half after taking the job, I’m succeeding in the vision I had that day I filled out the application. I didn’t hit 100% of the qualifications right on the head, but I believed I could excel in the position and sure enough I have been doing exactly that. Maybe J.M. Barrie had it right after all:
“All you need is faith, trust and a little pixie dust.”
I like to see that as faith in myself, trust in my skills and the secret sauce that makes me who I am as a leader. It hasn’t failed me yet and I’d like to bet it won’t fail you either. Time to return to the basics of believing in ourselves again. Look, we already are built to create miracles so consider your career just another one of those miracles you’re destine to breathe life into. The next time you see a potential job that you believe you’re meant for, don’t stop to check that you meet every single qualification. Step back and see if you qualify for 60%, like our male counterparts do, and then have the confidence to take the leap of faith and apply. I believe in you and I know you can remember how to do the same too.
