Have you ever wanted to apply for a job, but didn't meet all the "qualifications" that were listed? Well, that's really just a description of a dream candidate. Sometimes they add stuff just to discourage people from applying.

As long as you meet some of the qualifications and your years of experience are in the ballpark of what they're looking for, apply for it. You just might need to hustle a little bit to land the job.

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Here are three ways to increase your chances, according to experts:

  1. Apply through an actual person, not a website. Find out who the hiring manager is and email your resume directly. The chances of them tossing it in the trash are a lot lower that way. If you have a mutual friend on Facebook or LinkedIn, obviously exploit that as much as possible.
  2. Adjust your resume to highlight the skills you do have. You also might want to try running the job post through a website like WordSift.org, to find out which words they used most. Then you can use some of them in your cover letter.
  3. Show how enthusiastic you are in your cover letter. Talk about the parts of the job you're excited about, why you like the company, and why you'd be a good fit.
    Skills can be taught, but enthusiasm can't. Good hiring managers know that. Even if you're not qualified on paper, you could still end up getting the job.

Read more at The Muse.

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