Does an English equivalent of this interesting Iraqi Arabic expression exist? (a bit complicated to explain)

Question

In Iraqi Arabic, there's a term "gowatra". In a sentence, the expression will be used like, "it is not guatra [to do this or that, to have this, to get this]". That word or idiom simply means you can't just get a job somewhere, or pretty much do anything that requires skills without any prior knowledge, certificates, experience, etc. An example:

• Monica: I wonder if my best friend, who is a teacher, can let me work with her as her assistant.
• Miranda: People can't just get into positions that require a set of skills. It is not [insert word] to do such things.

A bit complicated to explain its meaning concisely in the title. But I hope you got the gist. To note, the expression doesn't have to pertain to working or jobs. Just any thing that relates to jumping into an adept position without any skills or knowledge. So they say, "it is not guwatra to do that".

I don't know the Arabic word's exact etymological meaning. But that's how it's used in sentences (as you saw above). Can't think of an equivalent English term. Both single words and idioms are welcome.

Answer 1

"كوترة" looks like an adverb/adverbial to me, originally meaning buying/selling goods without weighing, going on to generally mean receiving/giving something casually or haphazardly, implying more benefit to the receiver than the giver.

For your example, off the top of my head is "willy-nilly":

Such jobs aren't given willy-nilly.
It's not (done) willy-nilly.

Answer 2

There is the somewhat tautologous but idiomatic expression

• One can't just casually walk into such a post.

The senses below are selected for relevance.

casually: in a way that shows indifference, apathy, or a lack of intention or understanding:

• She strolled in casually, as if she weren’t late. [Dictionary.com]

casually: without much care or thought; without paying attention to detail [Oxford Learner's Dictionary]

casually: [done] done without much thought, effort, or concern [Britannica Dictionary]

And I see @Andy Bonner has overlapped:

walk into: achieve a state or position easily or undeservedly.

• No one has the right to walk straight into a well-paid job for life. Oxford Dictionary of English; courtesy of Google]

Answer 3

One could certainly use trivial, which means easy, simple, straightforward.

Answer 4

You cannot take for granted that you can just get the job.

To take something for granted means

to assume (something) as true, real, unquestionable, or to be expected

We took our invitation to the party for granted. = We took it for granted that we'd be invited to the party. [=we assumed we'd be invited and did not think about the possibility that we wouldn't be] (M-W)

Answer 5

"gowatra" Gowatra is one of the oldest cities in Assam India , we woul not act in such a way in such a fine city , it is not the Gowatra way or good etiquette , walking into my house without removing yours shoes is not very Gowatra at all.