253: Deciding Whether You Should Apply for the Job or Not

Have you ever looked at a job posting and talked yourself out of applying for it? Sure you have! When that internal voice creeps in and starts telling you that you aren’t good enough for the position or there are far more people qualified than you to do the job, it’s time to acknowledge it and kick it to the curb. 

In this episode, I’ll share four powerful tips to help you get out of your way and put yourself front and center in the application pool as you build Your Mid-Career GPS. 

Chapters

• 0:03 Overcoming Self-Doubt to Land Jobs
• 12:39 Navigating Mid-Career Success

Transcript

John Neral: 0:03

Have you ever looked at a job posting and talked yourself out of applying for it? Have you ever had a conversation with a colleague who said you'd be perfect for this job? But you started thinking why you felt like you weren't qualified enough. It happens to all of us, but when that internal voice creeps in and starts telling you that you aren't good enough for the position or there are far more people qualified than you to do the job, it's time to acknowledge that inner voice and pick it to the curb. In this episode, I'll share four powerful tips to help you get out of your own way and put yourself front and center in the application pool as you build your mid-career GPS to whatever is next for you and your career. Let's get started. Hello, my friends, this is the Mid-Career GPS Podcast and I'm your host, John Neral.

John Neral: 1:13

I help mid-career professionals like you find a job they love, or love the job they have, using my proven four-step formula. Here we are in mid-July and the truth is, if you are looking to find a new job by the end of the year, you are in prime time for getting your application submitted and building your network and telling them about your intentions so you can interview for and land that new job before the end of the year. So here are my four tips to help you apply for a job you don't believe you are highly qualified for. Tip number one let's get clear on your mindset. It is understandable for you to immediately think about why you're not good enough or why you're not qualified for a particular job. It's happened to me plenty of times in my career. But the goal here is about why you want to get out of your way and actually apply for that position if you believe you honestly and truly can help them do whatever they've listed out in the job posting. This is all about shifting your perspective and it's about helping you see not only your potential but the growth that you can help the company achieve, far beyond just whether or not you have a particular skill set.

John Neral: 2:37

Look, I'm not talking here about applying for jobs that are way above your pay grade or way above your experience set, but the thing I want you to keep in mind here is that early on in the pandemic, the job market saw companies actually stop hiring talent who needed to be trained or skilled up because they simply didn't have the time. We are now four years out after the pandemic, and I can tell you that the pendulum is starting to shift back, and it has been over the last year. That means that companies are certainly being more selective when it comes to hiring talent, but they do have the necessary resources and time to train and develop talent they see as highly desirable and want to bring them into their organization. So the question for you here is not just why are you the best person for the job, but where are your skills needed and can be leveraged to help them get the results they want? And that brings me to the second tip, which is there are benefits for applying for what we call stretch roles.

John Neral: 3:54

A stretch role is this it is a little beyond your current skill set or experience, but it is that next job in your career path experience, but it is that next job in your career path. When you think about your mid-career GPS and where you want to be, what does that next promotion look like for you? Is it worth it for you right now to apply for a job that might be a little bit of a stretch or beyond where you think you currently are, but it's worth having a conversation about. See, when you apply for stretch roles. What happens is this you start getting clear about the new skills and experiences you need to have or have and how you can apply them into this new role. It is about your professional development, which means by applying for these jobs and networking for these positions, you're increasing your visibility, and that means you are on people's radar about where your next opportunity for advancement may be. Sure, there are benefits like more responsibility and higher compensation and benefits. What I want you to think about here is when you start putting it out there and you start verbalizing to people that you're looking for a promotion, you're ready to advance. You are building your network in a way where they will remember that, and so you will meet new professionals. You will conduct informational interviews.

John Neral: 5:29

You might get a mentor within the industry, and oftentimes I will hear clients say to me oh, I don't know if I should really interview for this job. I don't want to waste their time. If they've invited you for an interview, you are not wasting their time. They want to talk to you for a specific reason and you don't know what they're specifically looking for, aside from what you've read and thought about in the job description. All you need to be is honest in this process. Simple as that. You can go for an interview and practice interviewing for that position, and that means that you're going to gain experience you would never have had if you didn't apply or network for that position. And, and the and is in big capital letters here. They want to talk to you because they're inviting you for an interview. We know how difficult and frustrating it is to get feedback after a job interview, but imagine having a guide that helps you craft your career story in a compelling, results-driven way that captures the attention of any hiring manager. If you want to crush your next interview, boost your confidence and tell your story more effectively, you need my workbook 26 Sentence Starters to help you answer any interview question. This 40-page guide provides 26 powerful ways to start any interview response ensuring you are clear and confident and making it obvious to hiring managers why you're the best fit for the job. If you're ready to enhance your interview skills, go on over to my website and grab your copy at https://johnneral. com/courses. That's

John Neral: 7:28

Now let's get back to the episode. Tip number three is all about overcoming your self-doubt. Imposter syndrome is real and the way we get through it is not by shaming ourselves or talking down to ourselves about it, but simply acknowledging that that imposter syndrome exists and understanding that everybody goes through it. So one of the ways I typically help myself get through any imposter syndrome I face and trust me, I face it on plenty of occasions is reframing some of my thoughts. Whenever I tell myself I can't, I simply drop the apostrophe T. Where can I do that? How have I done that in the past? How can I help someone do that? What can I learn? How can I skill myself up? In that regard, If you're overcoming your self-doubt, one of the things that may also help you is think about your current skill set and where they are transferable.

John Neral: 8:42

So, if you don't necessarily have the direct experience that they may be looking for, building a compelling narrative around how you can transfer those skills and what you would do in a situation may exactly be something that resonates with the hiring team or the hiring manager. But additionally, you can overcome this self-doubt by seeking feedback. Engage your mentors, colleagues and career coaches like myself for an external perspective on your answers and how you're positioning yourself in the market. Imagine getting feedback around your capabilities and how you're telling that narrative that gets people more interested in who you are and what you do. Lastly, my fourth tip is all about some strategies to help you build a stronger application.

John Neral: 9:39

There are some logistics that you can absolutely do. For example, make sure you customize or tailor your resume, Highlight relevant skills and experiences and show results where you can. Whenever you can attach a data point or a metric that drives specific information to the results you've achieved on a job or in your career, you will answer the question that every recruiter and hiring manager is asking themselves. So what and who cares? Additionally, you can craft a compelling cover letter, Tell your story, show your interest, explain your willingness to learn or skill up and why your skills are transferable in this particular job. But be careful when writing this cover letter that you don't come across as needy or convincing. I've talked about this before on the podcast, but nobody really likes that. You shouldn't have to convince anybody, but you can tell your story from a place of value and service. Leverage your network, Use your connections to get recommendations and insights about the role the company and where their hiring decisions may end up being. And lastly, prepare for that interview Research the company thoroughly, Practice common interview questions and, additionally, practice how you respond to those questions right. Be ready to discuss how you will overcome any skill gap, because your job in the interview is to help them overcome any objections they may have about your skill set and or your candidacy.

John Neral: 11:26

So, as we wrap up here, these are the four tips I have for helping you get out of your own way when you're thinking about applying for a job and to actually help you apply for that stretch role that may end up being your next advancement opportunity. Tip number one was getting clear on your mindset. Tip number two were all the benefits for applying for these types of stretch roles. Tip number three was all about overcoming self-doubt. And, lastly, tip number four was how to build a stronger application.

John Neral: 11:59

If you're looking for some additional help on how to position yourself more strategically in the marketplace, now may be a good time to consider hiring a career coach such as myself. You can go to my website at johnnerrellcom for more information. You can go to my website at johnnerrellcom for more information. You can message me on LinkedIn or email me at john at johnnerrellcom to see how you can schedule a coaching consult. So until next time, my friends, remember this you will build your mid-career GPS one mile or one step at a time, and how you show up matters. Make it a great rest of your day.

John Neral: 12:39

Thank you for listening to the Mid-Career GPS Podcast. Make sure to follow on your favorite listening platform and, if you have a moment, I'd love to hear your comments on Apple Podcasts. Visit johnnerrellcom for more information about how I can help you build your mid-career GPS or how I can help you and your organization with your next workshop or public speaking event. Don't forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on social at John Narrow Coaching. I look forward to being back with you next week. Until then, take care and remember how we show up matters. Thank you.