Applying, step by step · 6 min read
What do I do when a job asks for a skill I don't have?
Don't add it to your CV. Learn the basics, do one small real task with it, and practise talking about it. Then you have something true to say.
The short answer
Don't add the skill to your CV. Instead, spend a few hours this week getting a true answer to 'have you used it?'. Learn the basics, do one small task with it that looks like the job (a report, a mock-up, a short script, a plan), and practise explaining what you did and what you'd learn next. Then mention it honestly in your cover letter or interview. A small piece of work you can describe beats a skill listed with nothing behind it.
On this page 4 sections
Learn, try, practise
- Learn: an hour on the basics, from a free course, the tool's own tutorials or a short video series.
- Try: a 15 to 60 minute task that looks like the job. Use public data, a made-up brief or your current work.
- Practise: say out loud what you did, what was hard, and what you'd learn next.
Small tasks for common gaps
| The post asks for | A small task this week |
|---|---|
| SQL | Load a public dataset into a free database and answer three questions with queries |
| Figma | Redesign one screen of an app you use and note why you changed it |
| Stakeholder management | Write the update email you'd send three teams about a delayed project |
| Budgeting | Build a one-page budget for a small event with a 10% contingency |
How to talk about it
'I haven't used it at work yet. Last week I built a small report with it from public sales data; the joins took me longest. I'd want to pair with someone on the team in my first month.' That answer is true, specific and shows how you learn.
OffLadder CV, our free Chrome extension, shows which of a post's must-haves your CV doesn't show yet. Hand one to Laddie and you get a short lesson, a 15-minute task from the job itself, and a five-question mock interview for that role.
Questions people ask
- Can I list a skill I'm learning?
- Yes, if you say so: 'Learning SQL (completed an intro course and built two practice reports)'. That's honest and specific.
- How much do I need to learn before applying?
- Enough to do one small task and talk about it for two minutes. You're not trying to become an expert before you apply, only to show you've started and can learn.
- What if the gap is a qualification?
- Qualifications and licences can't be closed in a week. Check whether the employer would accept you studying for it, or look for posts that train you.
- Should I mention the gap in the interview?
- If you're asked, yes. Say what you've done so far and how you'd get up to speed. Interviewers often care more about how you learn than about one missing tool.
- How do I know which gaps matter?
- The ones the post repeats, marks as essential, or that the job would use every day. A tool mentioned once in a long list is usually softer.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.