What To Do When You Are Not The Best Candidate For The Job

By Kibet Tobias
With so much competition in the job market, you need to do everything you can to ensure that you are positioning yourself as the best candidate for the job.
However, every job you come across seems to be looking for the perfect candidate – someone that you are not.
You really want a job soon but have no idea how to position yourself when you are not the most
qualified candidate.
How do you persuade the recruiter that you are the ideal candidate?
1. Learn more about the position
Who is this ideal person the company is looking for? The employer already knows what they want and who they want even before the hiring process started.
So it is important for you as a candidate to go through the description and understand it before applying for the position.  Is it looking for someone who has worked in a similar industry as you? Do you have the transferable skills required?
Maybe the title for the job is the same as your previous one but the roles and skills are too different. By paying attention to the description, you will understand what they are looking for in terms of skills and experience therefore knowing if you really fit in.
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2. Build a human connection with the recruiter
The easiest way to make the employer trust and believe in you is by creating a human connection with them.
If you are seeking your first job or a career change you have to be open with your potential employers. Let them know your hopes and aspirations to know you better. You and the interviewer could be strangers but remember he/she is human too.
You can tell a story about the company or the employer (if you know them personally) and acknowledge their achievements.
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3. Lead with the positive
 Even when you know that your background is not matching with the position, don’t give them a reason to reject you.
Just believe that you are competing with yourself only. And as such you have to use positive expressions during the interviews.
 Example…
“I have 4 years’ experience in the medical industry which may not be relevant for this communication position but I am able to do it…” This statement is sincere but will end up locking you out.
You can say this instead;
‘My experience and great achievements with Company X would boost your department because of A, B & C reasons.” This sells your expertise without really underselling yourself.
You may be the most unqualified person for the role because you are changing careers for instance but the employer wants someone who understands themselves and their abilities and this is what you do.
4. Cut the jargon
We have all been there.
You go through a job description and you feel intimidated by certain terms like ROI, KPI, Pascal, HTML and many more. In the end, you lose confidence in yourself and hold back on applying for that position even when you are fully qualified.
Having such jargons in the description may not be that meaningful. Be confident in your skills and apply for the job.
If you are leaving industry A to B, then it is not necessary having such details on your CV too.
Conclusion…
In the end it is important to position yourself as an expert in a particular area. Be yourself and show that you’re passionate about what you want to do. Whether on your CV or during the interview, prove you’re the perfect candidate for the job.
Any related query? Leave a comment below.