Take job descriptions with a grain of salt
When we’re anxious about finding our next job, it’s easy to think job descriptions are sacred texts. They’re not.
Job descriptions can be written by someone who:
- Put a lot of thought into them
- Is a direct supervisor for the role
- Can make you shake in your shoes during an interview
Or, they may be written by people who:
- Are in a rush
- Don’t understand the role
- Haven’t done a good job explaining what the company needs
Heck, they can even be written by AI.
The point is, you don’t know what’s going on behind that job description. That’s good news. It means you don’t have to be intimidated. All you need to worry about is:
- Whether you can be valuable to the company in that role
- Whether it’s worth your time to apply
So how do you know that? Let’s get into the nitty gritty.
Anatomy of a job posting
Job title
This seems like it shouldn’t need any explanation. However, job titles can mean different things in different companies.
In some companies, an account manager means you manage other people. In others, an account manager is an entry-level position.
The term “director” can be misleading, too. Sometimes a director is a high-level position overseeing many departments. Other times a director is the only person in a department. “Coordinator” and “specialist” are other terms that can be ambiguous.
Where the role fits within the organization can be more important than its title. That being said, don’t rule yourself out of a position because it has a lofty-sounding title.
Job description
This is a general summary of the position. Job descriptions can include:
- Information on the department and where it fits in with the larger organization
- Which person you would report to
- Whether there are supervisory duties associated with the position
- Brief information on duties and responsibilities
Ellen, a recruiter with Fidelity, advises candidates to notice whether the job description mentions the company’s values. She says, “If their values align with yours, then you should apply. In addition, is there a part in the job description that describes the team? That one paragraph can entice you to read more or apply, and can reveal the company’s culture.”
Duties and responsibilities
These are the specifics of what the job entails. If it’s accurate and well-written, it will give you a sense of the core responsibilities of the role. It will also give you an idea of the day-to-day tasks you’d be engaged in.
Requirements
This section lays out the skills, experience, and education level the company wants from job candidates. These include degrees, technical proficiencies, and soft skills like communication and conflict resolution.
Some job descriptions list dozens of requirements. You might read those and think you’re not qualified.
PRO TIP: If you take nothing else from this article, know this. You do NOT have to have all of the requirements listed in a job posting.
Ellen says, “If you’re excited about the role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, I would encourage the candidate to apply anyway. They just might be the right candidate for this or other roles.”
In addition, there has been a lot of information published over the last decade about how men and women differ in their approach to job searching. Women tend to hold back from applying for roles unless they meet every qualification listed. Men are more likely to apply once they meet 60% of the requirements listed.
Some job postings now include language to encourage more diverse candidates to apply. It’s not uncommon for job posters to write something like this in the posting: “We realize that not every candidate will meet every requirement. If you meet some of the requirements and believe you can do this job, we want to hear from you.”
