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Tips On Interpreting Job Postings
by Nathan Newberger
Job postings are available in many formats and if you are not
careful, you may eliminate yourself as a possible applicant by not
interpreting the job posting for what it really conveys.
This http://www.WorkTree.com career article by Nathan Newberger
offers four tips on finding the deeper meaning of job advertisements. Learning how to
interpret these four components of job postings is the first step
to successfully applying for them:
1. Experience Required
2. Salary Required
3. Organizational Skills Required
4. Proficieny Required
1. EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
The single most common requirement stated in job advertisements is
experience. Some positions require no experience at all, while others
might require 1-2 years of experience, while the most senior
positions might require 10 or more years of experience!
These numbers can be very intimidating, but the right approach can
make a difference. When thinking about the experience required by a
job, consider these three options:
- Work experience is NOT just typical jobs. Internships, volunteer
work, and clubs are all valid forms of experience. Any learning
opportunity is considered work experience.
- Tailor your resume to fit the job description. If an advertisement
says that a position requires 3 years of experience in sales, make
sure your resume highlights the fact that you have 3 years of
experience in sales.
- Not meeting experience requirements does not take you out of the
running. More than anything, companies want good employees.
Between your resume and your cover letter, if you can persuade a
company to think you are diligent and quick to learn new skills,
you have a good shot at the job.
2. SALARY REQUIRED
In addition to a resume, many job advertisements ask that you submit
your "minimum salary required." This request strikes fear in the
hearts of the timid. If you give too high a salary, a company may not
be interested in you. If you give too low a salary, you may not be
able to make ends meet financially.
When you are caught in this dilemma, you have two options:
- Many times you can get by just saying that your salary requirement
is "negotiable" without giving a specific number. Putting off
salary negotiations until you actually have the job is a good
stress reliever.
- Call the employer anonymously to get information. If a specific
number is absolutely necessary, provide a salary range.
3. ORGANIZATION SKILLS REQUIRED
Anytime a job advertisement makes a point to mention "organizational
skills" or "communication skills", the employer actually wants to
know three things: do you get the job done on time, do you do the job
correctly, and do you work well in teams. Now if employers were that
direct, job hunting wouldn't be so difficult.
Since life just isn't that easy, you have to be sure to answer the
secret questions you are being asked:
- Be sure to incorporate your ability in working with deadlines and
working on team projects into your resume. Your resume creates the
first image an employer will have of you. That image must be what
the employer is looking for.
- Employers love multi-tasking. Convey the fact that you had many
responsibilities at previous jobs, and you always succeeded.
- Don't beat around the bush. Explicit examples are always good. If
they do not fit in your resume, work them into your cover letter.
Otherwise, be sure to mention them in your interview.
4. PROFICIENCY REQUIRED
Besides the generic traits that employers like to see in applicants
for any position, job advertisements will make statements about
specific skills related to a specific job. It seems that the most
favorite description to use is "proficiency in". Other popular
descriptors are "command of" and "working knowledge of". These
phrases might be used to describe understanding of software, industry
expertise, etc. They all mean the same thing, but many people don't
realize what that is.
Whenever you see specific skill requirements and wonder whether or
not you meet them, consider these issues:
- Certain skills have official certifications. If you have an
official certification, be sure it is on your resume.
- Being proficient means being comfortable using something on a
day-to-day basis and being able to answer simple questions about
it.
- When it comes to languages, there is a difference between being
fluent and understanding most things. There is no shame in saying
you have a "conversational" understanding.
- If the same skills continue to pop-up in job postings, it may be
time for you to acquire them.
CONCLUSION
Perhaps job advertisements are not as direct as they should be.
Nonetheless, there is now an industry standard on how to write them.
It's up to you to be able to read them correctly. The language may be
a little tricky, but it is not impossible to understand. These tips
should give you a good starting point for tackling new job
advertisements that come your way. Keep them in mind, because
deciphering the language of a job advertisement will put you a step
ahead of everyone else.
This article can be read online and shared with others directly at:
http://www.worktree.com/newsletter/interpreting-job-postings.html
Sincerely,
Nathan Newberger,
Managing Editor
http://www.WorkTree.com
"Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"
WorkTree Success Story
"I found your website quite by accident in January of 2003 when I was
told that there was a possibility that my position would be
eliminated. In March, it was. I used your site exclusively for my job
search - it was so easy to use and saved me a lot of time. I was able
to focus on learning about the positions and companies themselves
instead of running around from website to website. I begin my new job
on October 6th, which I applied for from a posting on your site. It
is wonderful new opportunity with a higher salary than my former
position. I have to say the membership fee for Worktree was a great
investment in my career!".....Iris M.,
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About The Author
Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com Nathan has over 10 years
experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor.
Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his
articles have helped thousands of job seekers.
Re-Print Guidelines
Permission is granted to reproduce any of these articles but the article content CANNOT be altered and credit must be
given to the author and also an active link to http://www.WorkTree.com.
As a courtesy, please email Nathan at support@worktree.com if you decide to use any of his articles.
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