Landed a job you’re unqualified for?
From a recent Redditor calling for some advice:
Landed a job I’m hilariously unqualified for. Advice?
Out of nowhere comes a recruiter asking me to interview. He sends me more information. Nice guy, really chipper.
Right off the bat, I notice this job is way out of my league. It’s a senior management position in a relatively large company. Apparently they liked my resume (my resume doesn’t conceal the fact that I’m wetter behind the ears than an actual fetus) and my humble portfolio. Thing is, that stuff is from a year ago by now, some even older. I’m rustier than a grounded shipwreck, depressed as hell, energy at an all-time low. I’d be a befuddled caveman lurching among their ranks.
I figured I had a snowball’s chance in hell of landing this job, but I said, “Hey, I’ll try it.” I develop a glistening rack of six-pack abs from the tension alone. My blood is coffee, my nerves are crazy corn-silk.
I sit through FIVE panel interviews (the most I’ve ever had to interview for any job) over the course of two months. And the terrifying thing is, they all go extremely well?! We’re all having a grand ol’ time.
And the job sounds extremely vigorous — they’re sure to emphasize that. There will be a little training provided because they don’t wanna throw me into the fire right off the bat, but I could smell my bacon sizzling as they spoke. By the time the interviews are through, I’m terrified.
Month passes. Communications flatline. and the unqualified caveman in me relaxes his clenched haunches as I emotionally divorce myself from the prospect.
…..Well, I got an offer yesterday. The ball’s in my court, but I’m frozen. If I accept this job, it’ll mean a HUGE turn-around in my life — a decade-old fog, dissipating.
But I can’t help feeling like I’ll be fired a month in and everyone will realize I’m a giant, unqualified con-man, getting caught buck-naked in the court of the emperor. Doors will slam in my face.
Any advice on how to approach this situation? Any similar stories? I genuinely feel out of my element and 100% out of energy.
My reply...
(Have to say I love OP’s style of writing. He has quite a descriptive way with words that had me laughing! Onto my response:)
Career consultant here. You’re probably more qualified than you think. “Oldness” of skills doesn’t matter. You’re suffering some extreme imposter syndrome right now, and I think you’re still at the point of being able to turn that around if you do the following things:
Start getting really clear on the skills you DO have. Make lists of things you’ve done that you know you’ve done. Doesn’t matter how good you think you are at them…that shit doesn’t matter and is the main cause of the imposter syndrome. It only matters if you’ve done them or have experience in them – not being a prodigy at them.
Get really clear on the skills you DON’T have, so you can train those up first thing.
Watch ‘how to be a good manager” videos on youtube.
Watch videos for the exact industry you are entering. You’re about to develop some Youtube-fu!
When you start, have a notebook with you and fill it with notes as you go! Notes for study, notes for remembering random crap, notes for industry specifics…categorize them and use them to keep on top of shit as best as you can.
Good luck OP!
Rules prevented me from writing about my services like below, but I offered more info if he needed.
If you’re in a similar situation to OP and need more help, I can definitely set you straight with #1 and #2! That’s my Skillseeker course. It lays out all your skills and helps you compare them to the job so you see what skills you are missing clearly!