AIBU to apply for a job that I don't the required experience for?

[BillySmut56]

I'm just finishing an MSc in Gender and International Relations and I've seen a job vacancy for a safe house key worker supporting women who are vulnerable to human trafficking. The job spec says they are looking for someone with experience of managing a case load of vulnerable women, which I don't directly have, although I have done a very small amount of work with vulnerable women. However, I think my degree is hugely relevant and this is literally my dream job. So WIBU to apply for a job that I don't have the required experience for? I'm fresh out of uni, and this is my first time applying for graduate roles.

YANBU. I'm underqualified for my job with no experience (although been in the role a while now). As long as your honest, the worst that will happen is you won't get an interview

Worst thing that will happen... you won't get the job. Which you don't have now. So you have nothing to lose.

I think that's basically what Donald Trump did and he got the job!

What's the worst that can happen?

Thanks everyone! Sorry about the typo in the title 🙄 Mumsnet really needs an edit button!

Go for it.

Apparently men will apply for jobs where they tick some of the criteria: woman will apply where they tick all of the criteria.

What's the worst that can happen? Is it possible to apply with a cover letter which explains how relevant your degree is to the role?

Go for it...I suspect there aren't many people with your masters degree and they'll hopefully bite your arm off.

Absolutely always do it. Even just doing the form you’ll get to learn expectations so you know what you’re aiming at.

Go for it and write additional information on how you have transferable skills, even though you don't have specific case load experience.

It really depends on how many other applicants they get.

Good luck.

Apply. There may be another position available soon or the position may be flexible so you could have less responsibility but for a smaller salary until you build up your experience. I'm sure they'd rather have someone passionate about helping vulnerable women.

Applying for a job is like sticking up your hand and saying "Hey, I might be interested, what do you think?" You don't have to decide if you are suitable for it or not, that is the job people who put the advert out there. They may decide that you aren't the person they are looking for, but always apply for jobs you think you would like to do (within reason of course. Don't apply for something that is obviously outside your skill set).

Oh do it. Xh has a ridiculously brilliant job that he somehow blagged his way into. He's done that the whole way through his career and it's worked for him.

I'm the total opposite and wish I weren't apply!

Please apply.

I have an interview tomorrow for a job I’m not directly qualified for (although I do have transferable skills). I was honest when I applied, and was shortlisted.

Go for it!

Read this thread and applied for a job I want. I'm still working on the qualifications.

Good luck shockers

Ah thank you all! That's really buoyed me up

Good luck @Shockers and @drinkswine

I'll apply tomorrow. It's an application form and a cover letter, so I'll definitely highlight the relevance of my very specific MSc and undergraduate degree. I'm planning to say that supporting vulnerable women is my passion (and it truly is, I get so much out of it), would it be too much to say that this is my dream job? What else can I say in my cover letter that might help me swing it?

I applied for a job last year where I didn’t meet the essential criteria and got the job. Good luck.

I say go for it.
Both my husband and myself have recently applied for jobs we didn't have the exact experience they were looking for, and both of us now have new jobs.
With my husband, he took a paycut to take the job, but only for 3 months, in which time he proved the risk was worth it and he went back to the pay he was on at previous job, and about a month after that came home with a payrise AND a bonus!
My job I haven't officially started yet, as I accepted the offer today, but I took a risk applying, figuring if they said no, I'd be no worse off than I am now. It's another role within a school, but I think because I already work with the students in another capacity and they know me, they'd respond well to me in the new role.
I will keep my fingers crossed for you! Let us know how you get on

Say that you are willing to train in anything they feel would be appropriate for this job, I think that's what swung it for me in my interview. I put forward some ideas of how to get extra experience for my role.

@TheGoblinQueen Thank you! I'll do that

I've applied! I've got everything crossed.

Good luck OP!

Thank you @luckylavender!