How To Read And Use Job Postings To Your Advantage

How To Read And Use Job Postings To Your Advantage unsplash.com 1. Be a little flashier. The first thing to know about an online, widely available job posting is that it is probably receiving a lot of applicants. Most companies will look around by asking personal connections and professional connections before turning to the internet. This means that if you want your application to get noticed, it might need to be a little flashier than it was before. Don’t be afraid to download a template or completely revamp the look of your resume. The recruiters are most likely sick and tired of Times New Roman. You want yours to stand out if you’re shooting for an interview. 2. Look for keywords. Another easy way to find the best job for you through job postings is to look for keywords. You may not find the absolutely perfect dream job, but you can find a few you might be perfect for. This means that you’ll need to evaluate your skill-set and what skills matter most to you. If you love working with people, look for words like “teamwork,” “people-oriented” and “communication.” Essentially, just look for a few words that are commonly used and search for them when looking for jobs. They might lead you to some postings that you might not have considered, but are actually great for. 3. Streamline toward your goal. Once you’ve found one, or a couple, job postings that you’re interested in, make sure to analyze the content given in the posting. The posting will hold key information that can help you make or break your application. Once you’ve checked out what exactly they’re looking for, you can tailor your experiences to fit the job. If the job calls for research, you may want to input the time you volunteered at a science camp rather than a job you held at the local sandwich shop. Find which experiences and qualities you have that best highlight your strongest skill-sets. 4. Read requirements first. A good way to waste your time on job postings is to read an entire listing, get very excited about it, and then realize you’re under-qualified. Most job postings will put their requirements at the bottom of the page, even though they’re the most important. When searching and scouring job postings on the internet, scroll down and read the job requirements before reading the rest of the listing. This prevents you tons of reading time wasted on jobs you aren’t suited for. Now, keep in mind that not all job requirements are as black and white as they seem. If you have a strong majority of them and are only lacking in one area, you may still be able to land the job. You just have to make sure to address it correctly and make sure you’re superior in the rest of the areas. If a job listing seems great but doesn’t have the requirements listed, send a quick email to the company rather than waste your time applying for something you may not be adept for. 5. Look at the language. Another great way to capitalize on the nature of the job posting is to pay attention to the language used in the post. This will give you large hints as to what the recruiters are like and what the company is like in general. If you’re very laid back and humorous, you may not want to apply somewhere that reads super strict and instead apply for a job that seems more casual and right for you. The same goes for the opposite. This can then change the style and language of your own application into what seems correlative to the company. If your application already seems like it’s a good fit for them, you’re way more likely to score the interview and the job. However, don’t bet that the posting is exactly how the company is some places will post very stiff sounding jobs that aren’t in actuality. The language doesn’t necessarily mean you should rule someone out, but it may help you find some that might be better for you and save time. Hopefully these tips will help you look in the right places for a job that’s perfect for you. If you’ve found a great listing, some of these may even help you land the job. The internet is a wonderful resource for job hunting if you know how to use it.