How to Own Your Career Story When You Don’t Fit the Job Spec

I've accumulated all these skills by adapting and stepping up.... but now I don't seem to fit anywhere.

Ever feel like you've built a career that doesn't make sense on paper?

You've gathered skills by saying yes....yes to stepping up, yes to figuring it out, yes to doing what the business needed, even if it wasn't in your job description.

And now you have this collection of experience that feels all over the place. It doesn't match a job spec, it doesn't fit a neat box, and you're wondering where you belong in all of this.

But here's the reality... When you actually use those skills... they work. They work together. You lead differently. You communicate differently. You see the bigger picture and connect the dots others don't even notice.

The problem isn't your skills. It's the idea that everything has to 'fit' a checklist to be valuable.

So before you start questioning yourself or forcing your career into someone else's mould, ask yourself this:

✨ "What do I bring that others can't?" ✨

That question changes everything.

Because you're not a mismatch. You're a combination that wasn't expected... but absolutely needed.

And yet, it's so easy to count yourself out.

You look at a job spec and don’t tick every box. You’ve got the experience, the results, and the adaptability... but because your career doesn’t follow a traditional path, you start to question whether you’re what they’re looking for.

Here’s what I want you to remember:

Not fitting the list isn’t a weakness. It’s often a sign you’ve grown beyond what can be summed up as a checklist.

So what do you do when your skills don’t match the spec?

Here are 3 things I often share with my coaching clients (and remind myself of too):

💡 Reframe your story: Stop trying to tick every box. Start connecting the dots. What's the thread that ties your experiences together? That's your message... not your job title.

💡 Use your agility as proof: You didn't collect all those skills by chance. You earned them... by stepping up, learning fast, and getting results. That's not random, that's capability.

💡 Get curious, not boxed in: If the role doesn't energise you, don't force it. Explore what lights you up. Shape your next step around what makes you come alive... not just where you tick the most boxes.

You don't need to shrink yourself to match a list. You've already shown what you are capable of. Now it's time to back yourself... and build your career around that.

❓ What skills do you have that don't show up neatly on a job spec... but make all the difference to how you lead and perform?

You're more ready than you think.