It is a common statistic that women will only apply for a job if they are 100% qualified (versus men who typically apply when 60% qualified). If you are a woman reading this, this will come as no surprise. Women often underestimate their skills, experience, and value in the modern workplace, affecting their confidence when applying for employment.
One way to overcome this confidence hurdle is to get into activity. Sales professionals understand this concept—for every hundred people approached with a sale, typically will yield five “yeses” and 95 “no’s”. This method, when applied to a search for employement, can help you “do the-do” without an attachment to a result.
As a former actress, my father used to tell me never to audition to get a role. This required a mind-shift—that the purpose of an audition was simply to practice the art of auditioning. And the more I did it, the better I got. Eventually, I was cast in a role. What got me the job was not necessarily my talent (although that was certainly a factor), but it was also my persistence, my polished appearance, and my flawless presentation.
Going through the activity of a job search without an attachment to getting the job, allows time and space for mistakes, learning, refining, and practicing. And the more you practice, the better you get.
Another reason women don’t apply for jobs is that they don’t have the details figured out yet: they don’t know who will watch their kids… how will they manage after-school activities…if they will feel fulfilled?!
But I am here to remind you that applying for a job does not mean accepting a job. Let me repeat, applying for a job does not mean accepting a job. Stacey Delo on our team likes to say, “No one knows you’re looking for a job unless you tell them you’re looking for a job.”
So next time you think to yourself, “But I need my resume, LinkedIn, and interview skills to be perfect before I even apply,” think again and JUST HIT SEND.
Need more help with your resume? Get help with our resume review kit.
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