Just because you don’t hit every bullet point in a job ad that sounds like a great fit for you, don’t let that deter you from applying. Harvard Business Review notes that 4 in 10 employers have at least one position for which they cannot find an “ideal candidate.” Quite frankly, that sounds on the low side to us. Companies have gotten so accustomed to finding excuses not to hire over the past four years, they’ve forgotten that when you actually need to hire someone, you don’t get the luxury of waiting for perfection. So take a risk!
Rather than bemoaning the lack of available talent, Cisco’s Deborah Henken has launched an innovative initiative to hire, train, and often certify thousands of new professionals to fill jobs that would otherwise sit vacant for want of a perfect candidate. Other major employers like Humana are following suit, with more likely to come. So the next time you’re combing through scores of job ads looking for the “safe” listings that sound exactly like you, take a risk. Customize your resume to demonstrate performance and adaptability, and remember: fortune favors the bold. Read the HBR article
