If you’ve been looking for a job for any length of time, you’ve doubtless seen many job postings, either online or in the newspaper. Here are a few things to bear in mind while you’re attempting to figure out whether the job is right for you.

The employer.

It may seem strange to you that so many employers don’t identify themselves by name in job listings, and you may be inclined not to respond to a posting for this reason. However, there are several reasons that an employer may not wish to reveal their identity that are not dishonest. They may not want their competition to know that they have lost employees, or they may worry that their customers will notice a large amount of turnover and draw incorrect conclusions about their business. Additionally, if the posting is made by a recruitment service, it is common to leave out the identity of the business so that confused applicants do not send their materials to the company rather than to the recruiter that the company has relied on to screen applicants.

Having said this, however, there are a few things that may raise a red flag and warrant further investigation. For example, if a company describes itself as a “start-up,” this indicates that there may not be a steady income stream to pay your salary, so you should proceed with caution.

If the job posting clearly identifies the employer, do all you can to investigate the company. A few tidbits on their website may give you better insight into what the hiring manager will be looking for and you can emphasize the correct things on your resume.

The title and job duties.

When reviewing this section of a job posting, look for realistic expectations. If the posting says you can work from home and make money hand-over-fist with no training and no skills, this should indicate that the posting is a scam. Also look for exaggerated titles that might be trying to draw naïve applicants for otherwise-mundane jobs. If the job posting includes an hourly pay rate or annual salary, check to see if the difficulty of the job duties is commensurate with the pay you would receive for doing the work. Also think carefully about whether you would be able to perform the duties, and whether you would be happy performing them.

Essential qualifications.

Many job searchers give up when they first see the list of essential qualifications. If they see even one qualification they do not possess, they assume that they will never receive an offer for the job they desire.

It’s true that some jobs have truly essential qualifications that a person must possess in order to perform the job duties. It would be difficult to be hired as a physician if you have never attended medical school, for example. However, for many positions, the so-called “essential qualifications” are subject to some bending. Therefore, when you run across an “essential” qualification that you don’t possess, stop and consider whether it is something you can work around.

First, consider whether it is a qualification that can be obtained quickly. For instance, if the job posting calls for proficiency in PowerPoint and you’ve never used the software, remember that it may only take a visit to the library or some help from a friend to get comfortable with the software in order to become proficient.

If you can’t obtain the qualification, ask yourself whether you possess an equivalent qualification that may be just as persuasive. For instance, if the job posting requires that you’ve worked before as an office manager, and you have managerial experience even though you’ve never held the title of office manager, this may be just as good in the eyes of the hiring manager.

After identifying all of the essential qualifications (or their equivalents) that you possess, review your resume and cover letter. Your resume should contain each and every one of the qualifications in a prominent position. Your cover letter should highlight the most important qualifications.

Preferred qualifications.

When an employer states that a qualification is “preferred,” this indicates that their ideal candidate would have all of these qualifications, but they understand that their ideal candidate may not exist. Preferred qualifications may be used to help an employer to choose between applicants, but an otherwise-qualified applicant will not be disqualified due to a lack of preferred qualifications. Having said this, if you do possess one or more of the preferred qualifications, you have an automatic advantage over the other applicants who do not have these same qualifications.

To play up your advantage, make certain that your resume demonstrates each and every preferred qualification, and also highlight the best ones in your cover letter. While this does not guarantee that you will receive a job offer, it certainly will improve your chances of getting a second (or third) look.

Salary range.

My favorite job postings are those that state clearly the salary range that the employer expects to pay the individual whom they hire to fulfill the duties of the position. This usually demonstrates that the employer has some experience and longevity, has a detailed budget which includes the salary for the position, and also shows that they are forthright, and not hoping to underpay a qualified applicant just because they are so concerned about finding a job that they are not comfortably aggressively negotiating their own salary. Also, it at least suggests that the listed salary is competitive with other employers, since they are clearly not afraid of losing too many applicants as a result of the numbers in their job posting.

Although it does not always spell trouble, I consider it at least a potential red flag when an employer insists that an applicant provide their “anticipated salary” along with their resume before they have even attended an interview to obtain a full understanding of the job environment and expected duties. At the bottom of this article, you will find a link to another article discussing the ways to respond when an employer demands that you include your salary requirements with your application materials.


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