“Perfect is the enemy of good.”
That saying has been around since the 18th century, and its wisdom applies to job searches today: There is no perfect job.
If you’re looking for a new position and have decided not to take any concrete action until you uncover the perfect job description, you better settle in for a very long wait. And even worse, if that plum position ever appears, it’s likely that the competition will be so intense, your chances will be slim…at best.
However, I’m not writing this to discourage you; in fact I want you to be encouraged – encouraged to apply for positions where you might not check all the “requirement” boxes, but where you have most of them.
Very frequently companies will custom tailor positions for a good candidate. They may either raise or lower the level of the position to get a good person on board. Job descriptions are not set in stone.
By casting a larger net, you will expand your opportunities and gain valuable exposure to more hiring managers. In fact, those managers might have a great position for you that wasn’t even reflected in the job description you originally saw.