Should I Apply for This Job?

by Stephanie Stern

My friend Tim likes to send me links to job listings he’s considering and ask my opinion about whether he should apply. Pretty much without fail, my answer is yes (or really, YES!). There is always something — he’s not sure he wants to work for such a large company, or he’s worried that the hours will be too long, or he’s not sure if he’s really ready to leave his current job. But the thing is, it doesn’t matter. He should just apply!

We’ve gotten questions from Billfold/Grindstone readers wondering whether or not they should apply to a job. There are always special considerations: “I haven’t been at my current job that long,” or “I’m not sure if this is the right next career move,” or (the worst reason) “I’m not sure I’m qualified.”

When thinking about a job, it’s easy to lose perspective. You already imagine yourself in the role, and you start to worry: will you like your new coworkers? Is this the right job for me? What would the commute look like? But don’t confuse “should I apply?” with “should I take this job?” — these are very different questions.

Really, applying is just the first step. It’s one that hopefully leads to an interview where you gain a much better understanding of the position and organization, and of your gut feeling for the job. Don’t spin yourself around in circles and rationalize away a possible job prospect. If you think you might want the job, you should apply.

If your head is still full of “but, but, I’m not sure that they pay well!” type concerns, I made a flowchart just for you:

Really, it’s usually more simple than that:

Please keep sending us your questions about any career-related topic, but if you ask us if you should apply to a specific job, we’ll probably say yes and good luck!

“The Grindstone” is a series about how we work today by Billfold writers Leda Marritz and Stephanie Stern. Looking for advice? Want to see a specific issue covered in the future? You can email them here.

Steph Stern works in energy and environmental policy in the San Francisco Bay Area. She writes about careers and life choices at Small Answers (or follow on Twitter: @smallanswers).

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