Are you underqualified for the job you want? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Obed Louissaint, IBM’s head of talent. They talk through what to do when an MBA isn’t enough to get you into your desired role, you’re trying to keep your skills current as you spend more time managing people, or you want to return to a fast-moving industry after a long stint in another field.

From Alison and Dan’s reading list:

HBR: You Don’t Need to Meet Every Qualification to Apply for a Job by Art Markman — “Organizations expect people who are new to a role (and particularly people who are new to a firm) to grow into the position. They want new hires to ask a lot of questions, to seek out mentoring, and to even make a few mistakes as they get acclimated to a role.”

HBR: Your Workforce Is More Adaptable Than You Think by Joseph B. Fuller, Judith K. Wallenstein, Manjari Raman, and Alice de Chalendar — “The gap in perspectives is a problem because it leads managers to underestimate employees’ ambitions and underinvest in their skills. But it also shows that there’s a vast reserve of talent and energy companies can tap into to ready themselves for the future: their workers.”

HBR: How to Master a New Skill by Amy Gallo — “You may be jazzed up about learning how to speak in front of large audiences, but does your manager value that? Unless you absolutely need the skill for your job, or for a future position, it’s unlikely you’ll get money for training or support from your manager. Gaining a new skill is an investment and you need to know upfront what the return will be.”

HBR: 7 Skills That Aren’t About to Be Automated by Adam J. Gustein and John Sviokla — “Today’s young professionals grew up in an age of mind-boggling technological change, seeing the growth of the internet, the invention of the smartphone, and the development of machine-learning systems. These advances all point toward the total automation of our lives, including the way we work and do business. It’s no wonder, then, that young people are anxious about their ability to compete in the job market.”

Firestopping and Chemicals