You’re job hunting and you’ve found a vacancy that you’d like to apply for. Before you rush in, take your time, and look very carefully at what the advert says. There is no casual information in a job advert, every word in there has been carefully placed for a reason so you need to look very closely.
The way they talk about the job, the words that they use will tell you a lot. Here were going to have a look at what some of the sections mean and what they are looking for. The advert can also potentially give you clues for how they may shortlist candidates. Analysing the job advert can help you to decide if you want to actually make an application and, in the process, help you to demonstrate your skills and abilities to the employer.
Always read the advert at least twice. The first time to see if it fits what you are looking for then the second time to look in depth at all of the details. When you have all of this information you can decide if you really want to apply, tailor your CV to fit their needs and write your cover letter. The structure of a job description is fairly standard across most organisations A job description has several parts although they may not be written in a structured way, some of them may be broken down into different sections which make it much easier to read and analyse.
Analyse the job title.
This is most likely the part that attracted you to the advert in the first place. Be careful though as a job title can have different meanings in different industries and companies. For example, a “Project Manager “in a software house will utilise a specific set of skills and requirements that are very different for those required for the “Project Manager” in a building company.
Their requirements
This could also be called the person specification, requirements or experience. This is where they list the accomplishments and skills their ideal applicant should have. The employer is providing you with the details on the background they want you to have. They will often mention previous experience and achievements in other jobs, your educational background and the soft and hard skills you would need.
If they ask for a specific still this means that they not only expect you to have it but that you can prove you have it. Some skills may be more important than others. If you can't demonstrate that you have all of the skills required on the advert because you haven't been in a job that uses them, use this opportunity to say why you have the potential, mentioning anything even if it is outside of work. Sometimes you may see the requirements under subheadings like 'essential skills', these are the ones you must have or 'desirable skills 'which are the ones it would be nice if you did have. Typically, you will need to demonstrate that you have about 80% of the essential requirements in order to reach the interview stage. If the role is an early career job this could be reduced to 60% to be shortlisted, especially if you have a lot of the essential qualities.
Responsibilities
This can be considered the most important section as it describes what you would do day to day in the job. Some of the responsibilities can be a bit vague, like "responsible for the day-to-day operation of a busy hairdressing salon' and some will be very specific. One way to determine which are the most important responsibilities is to look at the order in which they are written. An employer will usually put the most important duties first. This section will help you decide if this job is right for you. You need to check to see if you have the right experience and if you can achieve these requirements. If you don't understand or are not familiar with Most of the responsibilities on the list then maybe the job isn't right for you.
Organisation Background.
The 'about us 'provides background information on the company, it's aims and values. This is a good place to start your research about the company, how big they are and what their main services are. Does the company sound like the sort of place that you would like to work? There might even be some information about the job being advertised and where it fits into the organization.
Benefits and salary
This may be something that is very important to you when you are job hunting, although lots of companies won't talk about salary until the interview stage. You may see phrases like 'competitive salary 'or 'salary in line with experience' which doesn't actually tell you very much. Some companies will include a rough salary bracket on the advert, as how much you are paid would depend on experience. Company benefits can vary although all employees in the same company usually receive the same basic benefits. Some companies may use the benefits of working for them as a selling point for their company These benefits could include, health insurance, a yearly bonus, company car, free gym membership or 3 days leave to do charity work per year.
Interpret the jargon.
Sometimes the description will include details about the level of experience they are looking for, for example, 'junior or newly-qualified’, or 'communicate at director-level’ These are straightforward and easy to understand. There are also a lot of common phrases used that are there as clues to interpret. The most common ones and their translation are below:
Self starter/fast learner- someone who can take initiative and work without supervision. It suggests that there will be little or no training and you would be expected to "pick things up quickly
Dynamic -confident individuals who use their own initiative to progress a project or coming up with inventive solutions to problems.
Fast paced/ challenging role-there could be conflicting priorities that are difficult to manage. They want someone who can consistently meet deadlines.
Detail/Goal orientated-The employer is looking for someone who is focused on one of two things, details or applicant 'A detail oriented will show a strong attention to detail with a metal us work ethic. A goal Oriented candidate will be driven and focused on working hard to achieve an end goal.
Flexible-You could be asked to take on other tasks as required even if they are not your immediate responsibility. You could end up doing anything, including Making the tea or working in a different location.
If it helps, you could always use a table like the one below to analyse the adverts
