“Hi there. It’s me, Julie. Am I qualified yet?”
This post is dedicated to ALL of you who wonder whether you are qualified enough, capable enough, smart enough, talented enough or good enough. In other words, all of you who wonder whether you are enough. Because one thing I have seen is that you are qualified. You are capable. You are smart. You are deserving.
Take a moment there and say that out loud to yourself. I am qualified. I am capable. I am smart. I am deserving. Can you say it without missing a beat?
Now say, I am enough. And say it over and over until you can say it without missing a beat.
We’re all familiar with the idea that men apply for positions when they have 60% of the qualifications whereas women only apply if they meet 100% of them. It’s not a new concept. In fact, in 2014, when the Harvard business review article discussed it in greater detail, it had already been referenced in numerous other publications and books. Author Tara Mohr conducted an informal survey of the reasons why men and women didn’t apply for the job. The issue was not that women didn’t think they could do the job well. The top reason was concern about not meeting qualifications and thus, not wanting to waste their own time and energy (46.4% men, 40.6% women). The two reasons women rated higher than men were 1. Not wanting to risk failure due to being unqualified and 2. Strictly following guidelines about who should apply.
Women (and men) are overly concerned with not wasting their own time and energy ESPECIALLY if there is a a likelihood of failure. When I reflect on this in a neutral context, it makes sense. Why invest your time and energy in something that may not succeed? Or if we don’t think there will be a return on that investment such as in relationships. In the context of academic life, this takes the form of the various activities done in the name of institutional service. If time spent on a committee like wellness or leadership isn’t regarded as seriously as time spent on committees such as those related to GME training or promotion, then that too will impact who leads those committees. For several reasons, we may see an increased proportion of those committees or positions being led by women and/or minorities. Those reasons may include less stringent criteria for participation, decreased interest from men or perhaps those committees are of greater relevance to the lives of women and/or minorities. However, when we think about opportunities and the benefits of having a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset (especially as we teach our children), shouldn’t we be willing to take risks and learn from our failures (if the failures even happen at all)?
A few months ago, there was an associate dean position that was posted. I saw the posting and felt I should apply. And then the doubts settled in-was I qualified enough? What exactly were they looking for? What if I didn’t get it? So I waited. And I waited some more. The last day of the application window drew near and I told myself that “if I were a man, I would not be wondering whether or not I was qualified enough to apply.” What I am proud of is that I then took the time to write myself a pretty darn good cover letter and applied for the position. And I left it at that. If it was meant for me, it would happen. Otherwise not. Several weeks later, I received a very pleasant rejection email. I wasn’t bothered at all because I took the chance to apply and if anything, at least the committee knew my name and my qualifications. And that is how I have begun to approach opportunities that may come my way. If others believe in me enough to recommend me or consider me for an opportunity, then I lean into that mindset (even if part of me doubts it).
Several years ago (waaaay before COVID), I was asked to be a guest on a live morning news show. LIVE. Yes, a live morning news show. The first thing that came into my mind was that there were other colleagues who were more qualified than me to talk about the topic. But then the internal dialogue went something like this: Instead of asking “Why me?”, I began to say “Why not me?”. And that my friends, has made all the difference in embodying the courage required to take chances and put myself out there…even when I am uncertain every step along the way.
I share this with you to help raise internal awareness of the doubting voices that plague many of us. As women, as minorities, we are often reminded of what we are not. I am here to remind you of WHO you ARE. And that is Qualified. Capable. Smart. Deserving. AND Enough.
References: https://hbr.org/2014/08/why-women-dont-apply-for-jobs-unless-theyre-100-qualified