Once you find a job vacancy that seems like just the right fit, you’re horrified when you realize the application deadline has already passed. In deciding what your next move should be, you have two simple choices. You can forget about applying for the job altogether or take the initiative and go for it anyway. While not all employers will consider an application that comes in late, all it takes to land that dream job is one employer who will.

Submit Your Resume Anyway

Go ahead and apply even if the deadline for submitting an application has passed, suggests Alison Green, an Ask a Manager blogger. You have nothing to lose. Some employers look at applications and resumes as they receive them. They may even interview job candidates before the deadline. When a position is posted on a job site, an employer may have no choice but to indicate a closing date. But, when a hiring manager needs to fill a vacancy as soon as possible, if the right candidate comes along early on, he may fill the position before the posting closes. Likewise, regardless of an official deadline date, a job vacancy usually remains open until the employer finds the right candidate.

Apply in Person

Delivering your resume in person after the deadline has passed could still get you an interview. If the hiring deadline is flexible and you stand out from the other job applicants, you might not have missed your chance, points out Kim Monaghan, a certified professional resume writer, in a blog post for Social-Hire.com. Going in person could get you interviewed on the spot. Even if the hiring organization sticks to its application deadlines, you may qualify for another job that opens in the future.

Fall Back On Honesty

When it comes to missing a job application deadline, honesty can sometimes work to your advantage. Mention that you just found out about the job through a networking group. Companies have different hiring rules, but, if you found out about the position late, the worst that can happen is the employer won’t consider you. On the other hand, the hiring manager may still take a look at your resume, particularly if the position hasn’t been filled yet. Despite the date on your application, you could be the most qualified person for the job.

Approach Someone with Authority

Once the hiring deadline has passed, it may help to get your resume into the hands of someone with clout. If calling the company doesn't put you in touch with the right person, check the company’s corporate website. Many list the names of their management teams. Search for the name of a senior manager to whom you can mail your resume directly. Write the word “confidential” on the envelope. In your cover letter, state why you want to work for the company and how you found out about the position in which you are interested, suggests Lindsay Olson, a public relations recruiter, in an article for U.S. News and World Report.