Are You Qualified Enough to Apply for That Job?

Many jobseekers bemoan the lack of positive responses they receive from prospective employers despite sending out application after application. As jobseekers very rarely hear why an application wasn’t successful, they put their failure to secure an interview down to all manner of things, from not having the necessary experience to not attending the right university. However, in reality, the primary reason why candidates are not successful is because they do not have the necessary qualifications, experience and skills to apply for the job in the first place.

One of the most common misconceptions that jobseekers have is how closely their qualifications must match the requirements of a job for them to feel like they can apply. The similarity between the skill, experience and qualifications listed in the job description and those of an individual lie on a spectrum, and all too often candidates fall too far on either side of where they should be.

The two types of jobseeker

When it comes to having the necessary qualifications and experience to apply for a role, there are two different applicant types:

The sprayers and prayers – These jobseekers haphazardly apply for every job they feel they are the least bit qualified for in the belief that the more applications they send out, the better their chances will be. By some counts, this type of applicant can account for 75 percent of the CVs that are submitted for a role. By trying to be all things to everybody, these jobseekers essentially sabotage their own job search by not dedicating the necessary time to completing applications for the roles they are qualified for.

The play-it-safers – At the opposite end of the spectrum are those jobseekers who only apply for a role when their qualifications and experience match nearly all of a job description’s requirements. Taking this approach can severely limit the number of jobs they apply for, particularly if they live in areas where jobs are few and far between. That shallow pool of potential jobs can prolong their job search and increase the pressure when they apply for a role that is a good match.

Finding the middle ground

The solution is to land somewhere between the two, where you meet some but not all of a job’s requirements. A study of over 6,000 job applicants found that for the best chance of success over the longer term, your skills, experience and qualifications should match 50 percent of the requirements listed in the job description. Any lower than that and the applicants were less likely to land an interview; any higher than that and their chances did not increase.

What does that mean for you as a jobseeker?

Even if you don’t exactly match the requirements of a job, you can still apply and have a reasonable chance of success as long as you have half of the skills, experience and qualifications the employer is looking for. As a simple rule of thumb, if you feel reasonably confident that you’d be able to perform well in the job, you should apply. If you’re unsure, the likelihood is you will not be called for an interview, and if you are, it will provide the perfect opportunity to find out a little more about the role.

Bilingual positions for UK jobseekers

At Linguistica Recruitment, we have a range of bilingual roles for talented jobseekers across the south of England. If you’d like to know more about any of our vacancies, including the requirements you must meet, please do not hesitate to contact our team. Call us on 02392 987 765 or email info@linguistica-recruitment.com today.

Flexible Working: The Benefits for Employers and The Pitfalls to Avoid

A recent study by Timewise UK found that 87 percent of people want to work flexibly but just 11 percent of job advertisements state that flexible working arrangements will be considered. With the number of people in work in the UK at a record high and just 3.9 percent of economically active Britons without a job, being open to flexible working practices and saying as much on your job ads could give you an important advantage in today’s ultra-competitive job market.

In some cases, employers see flexible working as a perk rather than a way to get the best out of their teams and try to avoid as much as they can. However, with several proven benefits of flexible working, it’s not something that employers should be wary of.

What are the benefits of flexible working for employers?

1. It fuels employee creativity

Research from the World Economic Forum into the future of work reveals that 97 percent of employers regard creativity as a vital skill for their teams. Flexible working has long been suggested as a tool for helping people be more creative at work, but is there any truth to this assumption? Actually, there is. A study from Cisco UK has found that people with the freedom to work remotely are more creative and agile than their inflexible counterparts. Importantly, they are also more satisfied.

2. Employees are more likely to stay put

Given the competitive job market, a boost to employee retention is one of the most important benefits of putting flexible working arrangements in place. A CIPD survey found that 76 percent of more than 2,500 hiring managers said that they had seen a rise in employee retention rates after introducing flexible working arrangements. The result is a reduction in the costs associated with recruiting and training new employees and a boost to company culture.

3. Cost savings

The average office cost per employee in the UK is £6,000 per year. That’s a significant expense when you consider that the mean occupancy rate of UK offices is just 45 percent over the working day. Introducing flexible working arrangements such as staggered home working and hot desking can help to improve the efficiency of the office and bring down overhead costs without impacting on the products and services you offer.

The pitfalls to be aware of

Introducing flexible working into your business is not all plain sailing. There are also some pitfalls that employers should be aware of that make flexible working more of a hindrance than a perk.

1. The parent trap

Working parents are likely to be some of the biggest advocates of flexible working, as it can help to release some of the pressure on their home lives. However, there is a tendency by some employers to view flexible working as something that’s predominantly for parents, and that can breed unhealthy friction in the workplace. Flexible working should be available to all, whether they have young children, elderly parents, a long commute or simply those who are able to perform better when they’re able to manage their own time.

2. It loses its flexibility

If there are too many boundaries and restrictions in place, flexible working can’t be what it’s supposed to be. Flexible working needs to work for employers and employees, and that requires a certain amount of bending, adapting and accommodating.

3. Mental health cues may be missed

With mental health becoming an increasingly prominent issue in today’s workplaces, flexible working arrangements can be an important way to help counter problems in the first instance. However, seeing less of employees in the workplace can mean that mental health cues are missed. Many employees who work from home say the lines between home and work life become blurred. That can lead to longer hours, an inability to shut off and increased stress.

Looking for talented bilingual recruits for your team?

At Linguistica Recruitment, we work with employers across the south of England to help them find the talented bilingual recruits they need. Find out more about how we can help you and get in touch by calling 02392 987 765 or emailing info@linguistica-recruitment.com today.