If you’re looking for a job right now, reading every single job description thoroughly might not be a priority. You glance through but are eager to apply based on the hype around the company or posted salary alone. Sound familiar? We all do it—but there is a better way to discern whether or not the job is a right fit for you before you waste your time and that of the hiring team. Today we look through the elements of a job description you should pay attention to in order to know whether or not to apply.
Decode the company and their values
At the top of most job descriptions you’ll find a paragraph about the company and many employers will list out their values. If they don’t, it’s worthwhile to go straight to their website and do a little digging. Pay attention to any gut feelings you have about the information you’re learning. If you find that their core values align with yours, it might be a good sign that you were meant to work there. Still not sure? You can scour their socials for evidence that you might be a great company culture fit, or take a look at their recent reviews on Glassdoor. After a little digging, you’ll feel either right at home or ready to look elsewhere.
Pay attention to responsibilities
Ask yourself—do the responsibilities align with what’s expected of the job title on the job description? Then ask yourself how you feel about each of the tasks outlined. Do you see yourself in a leadership role? How do you feel about going beyond your job and “performing additional tasks as needed”? The responsibilities will be the topic of their upcoming interviews with you. If the role is getting you pumped and you are getting ideas of how you could contribute even more to the company, these are great signs that you should go ahead and apply. But if there’s any doubt, maybe hold off on applying before you can talk to someone at the company. This is also a great time to network with anyone who works there to get to know more from an insider’s experience.
Make sure your skills and qualifications align
Most job descriptions will separate what’s required from what’s preferred. If you don’t have all the preferred skills, don’t sweat it—it’s the required skills that you’ll need to demonstrate in interviews, tests, and through your portfolio work. Can you showcase the skills they’re asking for? If not, use this job description as a checklist for yourself. Right now it’s tough to find a job, but those who keep up with skill-building by learning new software and gaining varied experiences will have a leg-up on the competition. Even if you don’t fit all the qualifications right now but demonstrate your willingness to learn on your own, a company will take note of your eagerness and grit. It’s also a sign to you and everyone else that you’re fully invested in building your career in the long term.
Decide if the location, benefits, and salary range are right for you
Now that many companies are moving toward hybrid workplaces, there’s increased travel and the ability to work from home sometimes, you’ll need to be sure about where exactly you want to work based on your lifestyle. If you need a fully remote position for personal reasons, then a hybrid workplace or required frequent travel is obviously not going to work for you. The same goes for benefits—are you looking for unlimited vacation and a 401K? And finally, there’s the salary to consider. If the company posts salary ranges, it’s also a good sign that they value fair pay. If not, have a number in your head for when the recruiter reaches out. It’s important to have your desired location, benefits, and salary outlined before you go job hunting. Then you’re likely to spend less time applying to jobs that don’t suit you.
TLDR; reading a job description can provide all the insights you need in knowing whether or not the job is right for you. Pay attention to the language in their values, their required responsibilities, qualifications, location, benefits, and salary ranges, and listen to your intuition. If everything sounds promising, aligns with your goals, and makes your heart quicken, then go for it!
Here at Artisan, we partner with best-in-class companies in order to find top-notch candidates like yourself. We have a handful of open positions you might be interested in…
