Have you ever found yourself doubting whether you should apply for a job because you don’t meet the years of experience listed on the job description?

You’re not alone. Many candidates will look at the number of years of experience required on a job description, then think that they won’t even be considered and won’t bother applying.

We’re here to tell you that: yes, you should apply for that role!

As long as you can perform most of the requirements on the job description effectively you shouldn’t let the number of years of experience listed put you off applying for a role.

Despite listing the number of years of experience they are looking for in a candidate, this is still less important than finding a candidate that is actually able to do the job effectively.

Experience does not equal proficiency. Just because a person has worked a job for 5 years does not necessarily mean that they are better than someone who has worked only 2 years in a similar role.

It pays to make it as easy as possible for the hiring manager to understand that you have experience in the role and can do as many things as possible that they are asking for.

Listing the things you have experience in doing is a good start. Also try to include your achievements in your role and the great outcomes that your work has created.

Some practical ways to make your experience stand out are to list quantifiable achievements in your role. This can look like:

• Moving a key metric with your team (delivering a project X amount under budget, or growing X metric by 30%)

• Improving a process (something that previously took 2 hours to do, now takes 20 minutes because of a process you made more efficient)

• Awards or recognition that you've received

Be prepared for a slightly harder time in convincing the hiring manager of your abilities, but if you can prove that you’re able to do it, employers will be happy to overlook that fact that you don’t match up to the years of experience on the job description.