How to Go for a Role You’re Not Qualified For
Every few weeks, someone tells me they’re not going to apply for a role because they don’t check every box. I get it — I’ve talked myself out of plenty of rooms. But looking back over a 22-year career, the moves that changed everything for me were the ones I made before I felt ready.
More than once, I went for a position I wasn’t technically qualified for on paper. The nagging voice was always the same: why would they want me?
Here’s what I’ve learned about getting over that hump:
You don’t have to feel qualified to be the answer. Feeling ready is not a prerequisite. It’s usually a lagging indicator — it shows up after you’ve done the hard thing, not before.
Honesty beats bluffing. When the questions hit the edge of what I knew, the move that landed the offer wasn’t pretending. It was coming clean about my limits — then getting dead clear and specific about the one thing I could deliver, with proof.
Lead with what you can stand behind. You don’t need to be the most qualified person in the room. You need to be clear about the value you can reliably deliver, and honest about the rest.
If you’ve been sitting out rooms because you don’t feel ready, this one’s for you.
Want help getting clear on the one thing you can stand behind — and saying it so it lands? I’m running a free, live workshop on Friday, September 18. It’s a sneak peek at my Confident Communicator Course, and a low-pressure way to see if my coaching’s a fit before the fall cohort. Save your seat →
