by Leo Wiles
22 March 2017
Hi Rachel and Leo. A random question for AUW: how do you know you are ‘qualified enough’ for the jobs advertised? I still consider myself to be on the beginner/intermediate level of copywriting so how do I push those doubts aside and apply for more involved jobs regardless of past expertise? Lisa
A really good question, Lisa. I get it. You spot a job ad that sounds amazing. You want it so bad you can taste it… but they’re looking for five years’ experience and you only have two. Or they’re looking for certain skills that you definitely don’t have. So you think, ‘Nah, better not’ and move on so as not to waste your time and the job-poster’s – right? We’ve all been there.
But here’s the thing: if we stayed in our box and did the work we were 100 percent qualified for, we’d never grow as a writer or a person. And, punching above our weight is, let’s face it, how most of us began. Sure, maybe you had a piece of paper stating that you were an excellent communications or copywriting student – but until you wrote your first piece for payment, you had nothing to back you but youth and dogged determination.
So should you go for things you’re vastly unqualified for? Well, no. If they’re seeking someone SUPER senior and you’re beginner/intermediate (as you mentioned in your question), that’s a little too ‘pie in the sky’, right? It might be your dream job in say, 5 years time, but you’re better off going for things that are a fit for you NOW.
Should you apply for jobs you can do, but it might be a stretch? That depends. A lot of job-posters put up a heap of criteria and some of it is ‘must-have’ and some of it is ‘nice to have’ – and so you don’t have to fulfil everything. Heck, if you could tick the box on most of the ‘must-haves’ then I would definitely consider applying. While many job-posters want their dream candidate who ticks ALL the boxes on their list, most are realistic. They know not everyone is going to completely fit the bill – and if they like you, think you’d be a good fit for their project / organisation / team, then I’m willing to bet they might overlook some of the things you don’t know, or offer you training, or negotiate some other workaround.
Surely you’ll be doubling your opportunity for employment if you can show the employer that you understand the job description and can back up the skills they are looking for with parallel examples of how your sparkly copy delivered more readers to the client’s website, bumped up their social media following by 400 percent, or increased their bottom line. In short, if you’re not EXACTLY what the role calls for, you need to put in some extra effort to convince the job poster to pop you on the short list.
The other thing to talk about here is confidence. You can dispel your doubts by acknowledging that on top of the degree or study you’ve done, you have a history of paid commissions. You’ve delivered engaging copy already. I’m sure you have happy clients behind you. So there’s nothing to stop you moving confidently towards new opportunities. If there’s a gap in your skillbase – like not being experienced in InDesign or SEO – it’s easy to rectify that; jump online and learn or take a course so you’re ready next time a client asks you. You might also find that having a beautifully-designed website that showcases your work, has testimonials from previous clients and links to all your social media gives you more assurance to move forward.
And on that note, have some self-belief! You’re doing this. You’ve got this, Lisa. Good luck!
Do you ever find yourself asking the ‘am I qualified enough’ question? How often do you apply for work that’s a bit out of your comfort zone?
