Selling yourself when others have more experience

Posted by Sarah Hobbs

There are times when you need to interview against people who have more relevant experience than you. It can be a daunting process, but here are some tips you can use to get an edge –

1. Maintain your confidence. There are a lot of situations where people will appoint on ability over experience, and even a relatively limited amount of experience can be enough to convince the interviewer you can do the job. Often experience is used to indicate the calibre of the candidate – and if you have had a fast track career, or something else to offer (like work in another sector or for another organisation), you may well be an attractive candidate.
   
   
2. Don’t let their experience intimidate you. Very rarely is “20 years experience” all incremental – some people have been in the same role for 20 years and never progressed or moved upwards – they have 20 x 1 years experience!
   
   
3. Consider what interviewers are actually looking for. A candidate’s experience may not be a top priority – innovation and creativity may be what they’re looking for, or top-notch organising skills, or the ability to influence. You might be able to add a lot of value where the experienced candidate may not quite fit the bill.
   
   
4. Think about what you’ve done and the experience you bring. For example, if you’re coming off the graduate programme you’re an expert at being dropped into new and challenging situations and thriving, and you likely have one of the largest networks in the business. You’ve been through a rigorous assessment process that most candidates will not have been through. Of course they want to see you!
   
   
5. Women worry about experience more than men. Research suggests that men are more likely than women to go for a job when they don’t meet all the criteria. So if you are a woman, are you letting this hold you back? Remember that fast trackers usually apply for the job they want several years before they expect to get it – it’s a career tactic to register interest.
   
   
6. Interview really well. There is no substitute for it – do as good a job as you can during the interview. Always find a way to let interviewers see you talk about something you are enthusiastic about! And find facts and figures that show them you are focused on adding value in the work you do. And remember, they’re probably not just looking for this role – if you do a good interview they may be in touch in the future when a role comes up

TAKE AWAY
Think about what you DO bring and not what you don’t bring. Throw your hat in the ring! At the very least it will register that you are ambitious to take on a challenge and progress.