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. When you encounter requirements you don’t understand, use them as interview questions rather than reasons to retreat. 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.