You find a job posting that catches your attention.

The role sounds interesting. You recognise many of the responsibilities. You have some of the skills they are looking for, and you can genuinely picture yourself in the position.

Then you get to the requirements.

Excel
SQL
Analytical Thinking
Power BI
Python
2 years of experience

You close the job posting.

“I don't have everything they're asking for. There's no point in applying.”

But is that really the case?

Not necessarily.

Not meeting every single requirement in a job description doesn't automatically mean you're not a suitable candidate.

Instead of rejecting yourself before anyone has even reviewed your application, take a closer look at what the role actually requires, which qualifications are essential, and which gaps you could realistically address along the way.

What Does the Research Tell Us?

The extent to which job requirements influence our decision to apply isn't just a matter of personal perception.

In an experimental study published in 2024 in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, researchers examined approximately 60,000 job seekers who viewed more than 600 job postings.

Some participants saw the original job advertisements, while others saw versions from which optional and unnecessary qualifications had been removed.

The result? Applications increased by 7% when these requirements were removed.

This finding highlights something important: job requirements can discourage candidates from applying, even when some of those qualifications aren't actually essential for the role.

Source: Abraham, L., Hallermeier, J. & Stein, A. (2024) — Words matter: Experimental evidence from job applications.

Read the study

A similar pattern emerges from LinkedIn data. An analysis of job postings on the platform found that those mentioning specific skills in their requirements section had an 11% higher view-to-apply rate than postings that didn't mention skills.

In other words, there's value in focusing on what you can do and the skills you already have, rather than exclusively on whether your CV matches every single line of a job description.

Source: LinkedIn Talent Blog (2023), Job Posts That Feature Skills Attract More Applicants, According to LinkedIn Data.

Read the LinkedIn analysis

Must-Have or Nice-to-Have?

When reading a job description, one of the most important things you can do is stop treating every requirement as equally important.

Try dividing them into two categories.

Must-have

These are the qualifications without which it would genuinely be difficult to perform the job.

For example, if a position requires daily data analysis using SQL and you have no knowledge of SQL whatsoever, this could be a significant skills gap.

The same applies to a mandatory professional licence, a specific language, or specialised technical knowledge that is central to the day-to-day responsibilities.

Nice-to-have

These are qualifications that would be useful but could potentially be acquired after joining the company.

For example, you might have experience with Tableau, while the company uses Power BI.

Or perhaps they ask for experience with a specific CRM, but you've worked with a different CRM platform.

You don't have the exact skill they're asking for.

But you do have relevant knowledge that you can build on.

"They Want Two Years of Experience, and I Don't Have That"

Years of experience are among the most common reasons candidates decide not to apply.

A job posting says:

"1–2 years of relevant experience."

And someone early in their career immediately thinks:

"I don't have two years of experience, so I'm automatically disqualified."

Let's reframe the question:

"What is the employer trying to ensure by asking for this experience?"

Are they looking for someone who knows specific tools?

Someone who can work relatively independently?

Someone who has already applied certain skills in practice?

And then ask yourself:

Can you demonstrate some of these abilities in a different way?

• Through a portfolio?
• A personal project?
• An internship?
• Freelance work?
• University projects?
• Previous experience in a different industry?

Because the value of experience isn't measured exclusively by the number of years you've worked.

It also comes down to what you've actually done and what you're capable of doing today.

Focus on What You Have, Not Just What You're Missing

You might have 7 out of the 10 skills listed in a job description and still find yourself focusing exclusively on the other three.

Instead of asking:

"What am I missing?"

Try asking:

"Which of these skills do I already have, and how can I demonstrate them?"

This is where transferable skills can make a real difference.

You might not have worked in the exact same role before, but you may have already developed:

• Problem-solving
• Communication
• Analytical thinking
• Teamwork
• Organisation
• Adaptability
• Time management

The key is to recognise how these skills connect to the position you're hoping to secure.

Try a Simple Job Description Analysis

The next time you find an interesting job posting, don't decide within the first 30 seconds that you're not qualified.

Instead, divide the requirements into three categories:

I Have

Skills and experience you already possess.

I Have Something Similar

You don't have exactly what they're asking for, but you have related knowledge or transferable experience.

I Don't Have

Genuine gaps in your knowledge or experience.

Now take another look at the bigger picture.

If you meet most of the core requirements and can demonstrate your ability to address some of the remaining gaps, the position may be worth applying for.

Can You Learn What's Missing?

Not all skills gaps carry the same weight.

Let's say a position requires Power BI, while you already have experience with Tableau.

The question isn't simply:

"I don't know Power BI, so I can't do this job."

Instead, consider:

"I already have experience in data visualisation through Tableau. Can I use that foundation to learn Power BI?"

The ability to learn and adapt is an important professional skill in its own right.

And this brings us to the concept of a Growth Mindset:

You don't need to know everything on day one that you might know after a year in the job.

When Might It Not Be Worth Applying?

Of course, this doesn't mean you should ignore job requirements altogether.

If a position is looking for a Senior Data Scientist with seven years of experience and you've just completed your first course, you're probably facing more than a minor skills gap.

Similarly, if you lack several of the core technical skills required to perform the daily responsibilities, the position might not be the right next step just yet.

The goal isn't:

"Apply to everything."

The goal is:

"Don't reject yourself before the employer has a chance to consider you."

Don't Wait Until You Feel 100% Ready

Many people approach job descriptions as if they were taking an exam:

"Do I have 10 out of 10? I pass. Do I have 7 out of 10? I fail."

But the hiring process doesn't work quite so mathematically.

Employers evaluate an entire professional profile: knowledge, experience, projects, transferable skills, way of thinking, potential for growth, and overall suitability for the role.

You don't need to wait for the perfect job posting where you can confidently say:

"I have everything they're asking for."

If you meet the core requirements, understand the role, and can demonstrate that you have a solid foundation to build on, the opportunity may be worth pursuing.

Because there's an important difference between:

"I don't have everything the job description asks for."

and

"I'm not suitable for this job."

The first might be a fact.

The second is a conclusion you don't necessarily need to make on the employer's behalf.

Don't reject yourself before you've even given yourself the chance to apply.