资格不够，也能胜任职位？

Read on for your three-step plan.

只需三步：

Step 1: Ask yourself if you could do the job

第一步：问问自己，能够胜任这份工作

Notice that I didn't suggest asking, "Do you want the job?" or even, "How much do you want the job?" Honestly, those questions are irrelevant. It doesn't matter how passionate you are about working in a foreign language — if the job requires translating documents, and you're only conversational, you're not qualified. Similarly, it doesn't matter how fascinating you find a company: You shouldn't apply for a job running its website if you don't have any of the technical skills required.

请注意，笔者并不是让你问自己：“我需要这份工作吗？”或“我有多想获得这个工作机会？”等问题。说实话，这些问题都完全没有关系。无论你使用外语工作时多么热诚——如果这份工作需要你翻译文件，而你只是能说会道的，那你还不够资格胜任。同样的，也无论你找到一家多么厉害的公司，因为你没有任何所需的技术技能，你做的也是无用功。

Instead, read through the job description and try to get a sense of what someone in the role would do each day. In your mind, break out "public relations experience" into writing press releases, pitching media and representing a brand. Think of "writing experience" as the ability to write concisely, persuasively and with proper grammar.

相反，把工作要求认真通读一遍，并尝试想象该职位每天的工作是怎样的。在你的脑海里，头脑风暴：从“处理公共关系经验”到资讯撰稿，到从事媒体工作，再到代言一个品牌。想想“撰稿经历”可以使稿件更精确，有说服力而且文体语法又得当。

After you've worked through the job description in this way, you'll have a more accurate sense of what you have to offer versus what skills you may be lacking.

当你用这样的方法通读完招聘要求的时候，你就对于自己所拥有的技能而不是缺少的技能有一个更深刻的了解了。

Step 2: Ignore "bonus" requirements

第二步：无视“额外”的要求

Some requirements are listed because they "sound good." For example, I once edited a job description to remove the words "from a prestigious university" from after "bachelors degree." (Yes, sadly, this a true story — someone on the team had thought those words would make the job seem impressive. Moreover, what was the person in charge of hiring going to do — purchase the latest copy of U.S. News & World Report) Occasionally, ridiculous phrasing happens to good descriptions because someone on the team thinks it "sounds good," but that's no reason not to apply.

有些要求列在招聘要求上是因为它们“听起来很不错”。例如，笔者曾经编辑一份招聘启事，把“名牌大学毕业的”字眼从“学士”前移除。（没错，很遗憾的这是一个真实的故事——团队中的某些人会认为这样的字眼可以加深别人对这份工作的印象。再者，负责招聘的主管，购买了《美国资讯与世界报告》的最新版本》）偶尔地，一些看似荒谬的词组也会成为很好的职位描述，因为团队中有人会认为这“听起来很不错”，但也不是没有申请这个职位的道理。

Another way companies flub the job descriptionis by listing requirements for a "dream applicant" — e.g. a laundry list of advanced computer skills for a job that primarily requires hands-on interaction with kids. But truthfully, companies aren't going to stall the hiring process until the dream applicant saunters in — solid, qualified applicants (like you!) get interviews, too. So, if there is a dumping ground of desired skills at the end of the description, see them as bonus skills, and focus your application on all of the core skills you do have.

另一种公司搞砸职位描述的方法就是把它对“梦想求职者”的要求一一列出来。比如，关于计算机技能的职位要求求职者要有与孩子们互动的能力。不过真诚地说，公司不会推迟招聘的时间，直到梦想求职者的出现——可靠的，有资格的求职者（就是你！）去进行面试。所以，如果在职位描述后面有哪些看起来超出常理的要求，那就把它们看作额外要求吧，只需要关注你所具备的职位要求的核心能力就足够了。

Step 3: Use the magic words

第三步：使用“神奇词语”

Sometimes the required skills you are missing don't fit into either of the above categories: While not a deal-breaker, they will factor into the job, and they're more than icing on the cake. First things first, remember this sage advice: do not write the "I know I don't have the right experience, but ... " cover letter.

有时候，你所缺乏的某些必备技能并不能够运用于以上任何一个类型的时候：不是一个障碍，他们会考虑工作性质，更不是锦上添花。首先的首先，记住不要在自荐信里面写“我不具备这些技能，但……”这样的句子。

Try to use this: transferrable skills. Yes, I think the term "transferrable skills" has magical job-search powers that shouldn't be underestimated. Why? Because a critical piece of the application process is connecting the dots between the experience you already posses and that which the position calls for.

尝试用这样的方式：可转换技能。没错，我觉得这个词语“可转换技能”有其不可低估的独特的魅力。为什么呢？因为关键的一封求职信将会把你早已具备的技能和该职位所需的技能挂起钩来。

Just make sure you don't over-reach for relevant experience. For example, do not try to explain how babysitting prepared you to be an executive assistant because you've previously been in charge of scheduling someone else's afternoon. Do focus on how lessons learned from prior experience would apply to a future role.

只需要确认没有涉及超出范围的技能。例如，不要解释当保姆可以使你成为一位执行助理是因为你早已负责安排某人的日常事务。只需要关注你如何从之前的经历中获得技能，为日后申请工作做准备就足够了。

Then, try this cover letter template, which focuses more on the skills you do have than the specific experiences you don't.

然后自荐信的排版，只需要更多的关注你具备的技能而不是你缺少的工作经验。

If you're interested in a role and could see yourself doing a great job, don't let a few missing qualifications stop you from applying. Follow the steps above, and then, wait and see. You may not be selected for an interview; but you could also be the best person for the job, and applying is the only way you'll know.

如果你对于某个职位很感兴趣并确定自己能够胜任这份工作，那就不要让某些缺少的条件而让自己却步。按照以上所介绍的三个步骤，然后，只需等待合适的时机。也许你没有被选中参与面试，但你可以发现最适合这份工作的人的特质，并从他/她的身上学习。