Penelope Trunk: lots of things, number two of which goes like this:

Take responsibility for your own education

In my new job, I spent the next six months reading whatever I could about the Internet. I read about advertising and copywriting, I read about programming, I read about everything. I had no idea where I would fit in the Internet industry, but I knew I had to learn about it to succeed in my new job as Internet maven.

I also talked with a wide range of people in my job, so I could learn from them. My next job was being the interface between the IT department and the marketing department. They were not communicating well. How did I know how to communicate with IT people? I have no idea, except that I had read so indiscriminately that I actually sounded knowledgeable about IT issues, especially for someone who went to graduate school for English literature.

One of the key items in a good education is that you emerge from it knowing how to do this kind of thing.

The BC has a similar job to this person!  Excuse for gratuitous picture!  Jen of IT Support knows zero about IT and did none of the things recommended by the BC but got the job anyway!  Mind you, for her, it was more of a punishment than a proper job.

BC continues, in point three, which says “just apply”:

Most of the time the manager or HR person writing the job descriptions has little idea what they really want or need. So write a good cover letter about why you’re a good fit, and ignore the part about qualifications you don’t have. Talk about your track record for delivering what they want.

What’s the worst that can happen?  They say no.  They probably would have anyway.