About to start looking for a new job?

A new survey reveals that female job applicants are more likely to play down their skills and achievements before they even click ‘apply’ on an employment ad.

According to the Taxback.com Workforce Survey Series, 27 per cent of women in Ireland said they would need 90 per cent or more of the required experience and qualifications before they applied for a job, compared to 23 per cent of men.

Over 2,000 taxpayers were asked for their views around applying for jobs and how confident or otherwise they feel about their own abilities.

“It seems we are not a nation of “chancers” when it comes to looking for work, with most people (58 per cent) being hesitant to apply for a new position without having at least 70 per cent of the qualifications and requirements,” said Joanna Murphy, CEO of Taxback.com.

‘Take a punt on yourself’

“As an employer, I would say that perhaps some people might tend to sell themselves a little short. While a person might not have 100 or 90 or even 80 per cent of all the attributes set out in the job specification, they may well have other talents and/or experience that the employer would benefit from. Within reason, if you feel a job is right for you – and you are right for a job, then perhaps take a punt on yourself and apply for it.”

“Women seem slightly more reluctant than men when it comes to ticking all the employer’s boxes. This might be a misstep because most employers aren’t as stringent as that – they know that people might have other qualities that they could bring to the role,” added Ms Murphy.

Other findings from the survey revealed an almost 50:50 split between those who would rather join a new and growing company and those who would prefer to go for a more secure position in an established company.