If you’re in the market for a new job, then listen up! I’m about to tell you the mistake that almost all job seekers make and it’s costing them a TON of amazing jobs and better salaries. Have you ever explored the job ads and found a job that sounds like it was written for you…until you get to the “requirements” section? Ummhmm, thought so.

So many people have their dreams stomped on by those scary little words in that section. They truly believe only people who meet all those crazy requirements are allowed to apply for that job. Nope, couldn’t be further from the truth. The good news is that you should just breeze past that section and get busy filling out that online job application! Here’s why…

I learned in all my years as a hiring manager that there are lots of hoops to jump through when advertising for a new position in the professional world. For example, in hiring Data Analysts, I personally couldn’t care less if someone had a degree in just the right field or a degree at all. Nor did I care that they had gobs of experience in particular software applications. What I did care about was whether or not they were teachable and motivated. Give me those two traits in any person and I’ll stand behind them all. day. long.

Getting back to the hoops that needed jumping through… Since a Data Analyst draws a very nice salary and benefits, HR departments will most often require the hiring manager to list any and all requirements known to man in order to justify the salary grade. You’ll often see a degree requirement, years of experience required or “preferred”, experience in all the many coding languages, etc. etc. etc.

So, we write the job descriptions and requirements like we need to in order to make the HR departments happy, and then we hire the person that we really like for the position. Requirements be damned. At the end of the day, and all the days in the future, it’s the manager that needs to live with the person chosen. Believe me, managers know how much better off they are with a person with the right attitude and work ethic than with someone with all the “requirements” and no work ethic. Trust me on this.

I can also give you a little insider scoop and tell you that there are people applying for those jobs that don’t have all the requirements checked off. Yes, it’s true! Those are really smart and motivated people. They know they can do the job if just given a chance. So, if I liked the look of one of those resumes, I’d schedule an interview. Interviews are where you really get the best feel for a person anyway.

It’s highly likely that the hiring manager will be more impressed by you than by other “requirement” carrying people. But, you have to first get in the door for the interview. This means you have to first apply.

Many of my students in the Rockstar Data Analytics for Beginners Program ask me this same question and I give them all this very same advice. If you see a position that sounds interesting and in line with the work you want to do, apply for it! There’s no reason not to and you just might be the one chosen for it! This is even more true in the field of Data Analytics these days, the demand is so much higher than the supply of Data Analysts. So, the next time you’re reading job ads, remember – only skim the “requirements” section and apply anyway! Best of luck to you!

I hope you get that dream job! ;)

If you’d like to learn more about life as a Data Analyst and how to break into this amazing career path, check out my free training – The Making of a Data Analyst.