How to Strategically Respond
You get a message from a recruiter about a great potential job match. After submitting your resume, they respond that you lack the 10+ years of niche experience required. It's disappointing, but don't lose hope yet. With a strategic approach, you can still make a case for your candidacy.
Lashonda** was excited when a recruiter reached out about an opening that aligned well with her background. But after she shared her resume, the recruiter said she didn’t have sufficient specialized experience for the role.
Rather than let her hopes fizzle, Sara took proactive steps to highlight her fit:
Sara sent an updated bio articulating her value proposition, rather than relying just on her resume. She also made a note to send her bio in the future rather than her resume as the first step in making contact.
She explained how she utilized similar skills from past roles, focusing on transferable abilities versus exact subject matter expertise.
Sara made a strong case for why she could get up to speed quickly in the niche area and hit the ground running with her foundation of related skills.
She persistently but politely checked in about other openings better suited to her capabilities, maintaining the relationship for future opportunities.
She also revisited her initial criteria, confirming that the role aligned with her stated priorities before investing further effort.
With this strategic, multipronged approach, Sara gained a second look. Even if one opening isn’t the right fit, you can still demonstrate your potential and enthusiasm. Don’t let initial rejections deter you from politely pressing forward and showcasing your talents. The right opportunity for you could be just around the corner!
Have you ever persisted and turned around
a “lack of experience” objection?
Please share what techniques worked below!
*Links with a star are only accessible if you have signed up for the free Peppercorn.ai Discovery Platform.
** Names of candidates have been anonymized
Our platform offers job search coaching, access to a supportive community, and a range of resources to help you identify & write your unique value proposition. With Peppercorn.ai Discovery, you'll have everything you need to stand out in a competitive job market and take your career to the next level.
Our community has already helped hundreds of people improve their job search & feel confident about their career paths. Many have landed top positions at companies like Meta, Adobe, & AWS as CPO, Head of Talent Acquisition, Director of Engineering, & UX Manager. We're proud of the community we've built & the success stories that have come from it. Check out some of our testimonials.
Hear from one of our Discovery Participants: "Peppercorn Discovery helped me not only identify my values but showed me how to communicate them in my resume, in my networking messages, and in my LinkedIn profile. I now have materials that represent me authentically in every situation, and applying for jobs is so much easier. This program has set the tone for the rest of my career. I highly recommend going through the process.” Jaselin | Marketing Consultant
To learn more about our free Discovery Platform and how we can help you, sign up to get immediate access.
#careercoaching #Whatsnext #jobsearch #organizationalfit #diversityandinclusion #minorityprofessionals #womeninbusiness #careerdevelopment #jobinterview #jobseekertips #careeradvice #careertransition #professionalgrowth #jobmarket #equalityandinclusion #empowerment #JobSearch #CareerDevelopment #MindsetShift #JobSeekers #PeppercornAI #Confidence #CareerGoals #CommunitySupport #JobSearchTips #RecruiterRelationships #CareerGoals