Apply for the Big Job
The job posting sounded amazing, and I was ready to leave where I was.
I scanned the job description—scanned each bullet. Most felt safe and attainable. But there was that one, maybe two that made me pause. I didn't even know what they were talking about. If I didn't understand pieces of this role, should I even apply?
Self-doubt took over. I didn't apply.
As soon as the job posting period closed, I felt the dumb, useless pangs of regret. I was mad at myself. I vowed that when something else opened, I would press 'submit' next time.
A month passed, and a new posting appeared. Not quite as alluring, but it made its way into my daydreams, and I kept my promise to myself. The interviews went well. They asked, "Would you be willing to be considered for any position on this team?" I answered, "Of course."
Then came the call that would shape the next two years of my career. I got the job. Not the one I applied for, but the one I had cried over. The first one I had really wanted. Maybe it was timing, maybe persistence, maybe dumb luck—but I got exactly what I wanted by applying for something else entirely.
Be smarter than I was. Apply for the job you want. Those requirements you don’t understand? They’re not reasons to retreat—they’re questions to ask in the interview. And remember: you’re interviewing them too. Are they worth having you?
Press submit. You owe it to yourself to open every door that calls to you.