How to know if you have enough experience for a job

							How to know if you have enough experience for a job


Just because you were a senior manager at one company doesn't mean that
your next job won't be a midlevel role. Often, appropriate job titles can
get confusing during a job search. "There's no standardization as to how
the titles are done," says Jim Beqaj, founder of Beqaj International, an
executive search firm and consultancy.

Not sure which job title you should target when looking for a job?
Here's a rough guide to deciphering how to categorize your skills and
what to keep in mind:

Entry level

This category is misleading, because it's not just for those new to the
workforce. Plenty of people who have been in the workforce for five
years or fewer can fall under the entry-level umbrella.

When going after an entry-level job, try to let your personality and
enthusiasm shine. "Entry level is all about personality fit ... basic
skills of good communication, eye contact and a sign of eagerness and
genuineness are key in securing entry-level jobs," Beqaj says.

 Midlevel

For job seekers who are no longer newbies in the market, a midlevel
position has entirely different demands. "A midlevel manager typically
directs people, departments, functions or projects as well as budgets,"
says résumé writer Deborah Schuster, founder of Lettersmith Résumé
Service. "For most companies, this would require a minimum of a
bachelor's degree and five to 15 years of experience."

Additionally, conveying to hiring managers how you would fit in with the
company hierarchy is key. "Midlevel requires experience in previous jobs,
so making sure that you have the experience and skills sets required is
paramount. Your ability to articulate your experiences and how they
positively impacted your previous employer are critical," Beqaj says.

Senior-level and executive
Just because you were a senior-level employee at one company doesn't mean
you should be targeting only senior roles for your next gig. "There are
many definitions for the word 'executive' and 'experienced,'" Schuster
says.

Corporate structures vary and larger companies have few senior-level
slots. Before applying, use a site like LinkedIn to see where an employee
with duties similar to your desired role fits in. "It helps if you know
the size of the company and have a description of the qualifications they
seek. And be sure your résumé and cover letter is tailored to show that
you have those qualifications," Schuster says.

Match skills not level
Just because you fall into a certain experience bucket doesn't mean you
can't apply for a position that requires your skills but is on a lower
level. Most companies are happy to consider a more junior person for a
job, especially if that means they can get away with paying a lower
salary.

Before you apply, consider whether "your natural instincts [are] making
you feel comfortable or uneasy; trust your senses," Beqaj says. Many
larger companies may also start employees at a lower level. In other
words, your senior-level role at a technology startup may result in a
midlevel position with a Fortune 500 firm.

Understand what or whom you're managing

Another good test for figuring out which level to target is to gauge your
current job responsibility. Whether you're getting the information from a
recruiter or through your own personal connections, get a sense of
whether you would be managing entry-level employees, other managers, a
department, a group of businesses, the entire enterprise or just your own
time, says George Bradt, managing director of PrimeGenesis, a company
that helps executives become established in their new jobs.

The higher the level, the more senior the job title should be for your
next position. "What matters when reviewing job descriptions for entry
level, midlevel, senior and experienced positions is what people are
managing," Bradt says.