Employment Applying to jobs outside your quals/experience

[nobbyiscool]

I don't think I'll ever understand how I fell into this weird mish-mash of writing, stakeholder relations, media advising, graphic designing and para-legaling... but man I hate it. I fell into a job that is 80% dealing with people (either the public or colleagues) despite the fact that I really, really hate having to deal with people.

I'd love to give it up... but I can't do a so-called "unskilled" job because I've been earning so much money for so many years I just couldn't afford it.

So - does anyone have experience successfully winning a "skilled" job despite not having the formal skills? So you'd probably have the skills informally, and commit to formalising them if you get the job.

For example:

• vet nursing without having started a course
• gardening for a council/state government park/school without horticulture quals
• working in sports administration/operations despite my quals being in comms and not ops

I'd really love some good news stories to give me some hope!

 

[ash_1050]

Why don't you get the qualification and then apply for the role?

I'd be reluctant to visit a doctor that's just about to start medical school.
I'd be reluctant to hire a vet nurse that doesn't have any formal training.
I'd be reluctant to apply for a role that I wasn't formally qualified for.

 

[Caesar]

How big a change do you want to make? Domain experience counts for a lot. If you have 20 years working in a particular industry, then you can often jump between very different roles where your industry knowledge is equally valuable.

If you want to move into a profession where qualifications are non-negotiable (medicine, law, accounting, whatever) it’s going to be a much harder move.

 

[ioppolo]

Some jobs are non-negotiable as an above poster mentioned.
But there are jobs out there that don't depend of degrees and such depending on what you want to persue. I jagged a landscape/rehabilitation/revegetation job despite zero qualifications in the field.

 

[nobbyiscool]

I obviously wasn't talking about trying to become a doctor without any training.

I was thinking things where you can do the job and get your quals while doing the job. So, for example, the job I saw that made me start this thread was for an Animal Behaviourist. I have no knowledge or quals in it - I'm just really excellent with dogs.

I wonder if that kind of thing is possible, or whether you really need the quals before you bother applying.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

If you're female I used to see it everywhere with BHP in mining.

Supervisors / Superintendents with zero relative qualifications/ experience, pretty much all of them abject failures and only surviving because of the qualifications and experience of their teams.

I used to feel sorry for them but then when I thought about it a bit more I thought otherwise.

 

[Hoops]

 

[Kwality]

If you're female I used to see it everywhere with BHP in mining.

Supervisors / Superintendents with zero relative qualifications/ experience, pretty much all of them abject failures and only surviving because of the qualifications and experience of their teams.

I used to feel sorry for them but then when I thought about it a bit more I thought otherwise.

I went from professional accounting into management of a trucking/heavy equipment operation of a top 50 ASX company of the day despite no mechanical knowledge.
When you know your own limitations growing those around you was my mantra.
Dont be afraid of what you dont know nor those with higher qualifications than yours. Respect them & their qualification & time will inform you of their value.