GHDC: “Requirements” Aren’t Requirements

Misconception #11: Job Requirements are Requirements

Funny thing about the word “requirements.” You’d think they’re absolutely necessary. Well, let me blow your freaking mind…

Job requirements are not actual requirements.

I have hired great candidates who barely met the requirements. If you’re thinking about applying for a job where the requirements seem out of reach, then you’re probably not qualified for the job. But if you “get” all the requirements and have a good sense of why the requirements are in the job description, then you’re probably qualified.

But why do these requirements get put in the job description anyway? Remember what I said about most descriptions being copypasta? Well, there’s only a few templates for a job description and most of them look like this:

Company overview

Job overview

Responsibilities

Requirements

Nice-to-haves

Sometimes the requirements are just something someone else came up with and the hiring manager thought, “Well, that sounds good enough.” As Jamie Contino says, hiring managers are typically after 80% alignment with the requirements.

Purchase our course “Get Hired During COVID.” If you're unemployed, take advantage of our pay-what-you-can model on our website, or send us an email at hello@edifycontent.com.