How to read a job ad

It’s striking how many job seekers fail to attend to the fundamentals when responding to a job ad, like reading the thing properly. Employers don’t invest thousands of pounds in their attempt to attract great candidates in order to receive a random collection of CV’s. They do it in order to attract relevant people.

Recruitment ads contain (or should contain) all the information you need in order to demonstrate your suitability for the role. It’s your job to respond accordingly by telling them that you have what they are looking for. You wouldn’t answer a wanted ad for a washing machine in your local newsagent’s window by leaving a vague message on the advertiser’s voicemail saying “Hi, I saw your ad and I have some kitchen appliances. Phone me,” would you? I hope your message would tell the person the make and model of the washing machine you have for sale, something about its condition, and responses to any of the other points raised in the ad.

The same goes for job ads. You must respond to (as far far as possible) every part of it in your cover letter and certainly your CV.

So how do you do this? Well, here’s the news you don’t want to read. You have to do some work. I know that you probably think that responding to ads is easy – dash off a cover letter stating the job title and saying some thing suitably enthusiastic in one line like this:

Dear employer

Please find enclosed my CV. I am applying for the Operations Manager position advertised in Operations Gazette. I am very interested in this role and hope you will invite me for an interview.

Yours, etc

and then chucking it in an envelope with your CV. It will look like you are not very enthusiastic and that you have applied for about 200 other jobs at the same time.

Step away from the crowd by actually making an effort.

Before anything, decide that the job does actually meet your needs and you can do it. If so, then by all means apply.

The important parts of the ad are the bits that tell you about what the organisation is looking for from the successful candidate. You can usually separate this out into ESSENTIAL skills, knowledge and abilities, and NON-ESSENTIAL skills, knowledge and abilities.

If you need clarification on anything stated in the ad, contact them. This is always a good idea because it means that you will be more easily noticed when your application arrives (assuming the person filtering the CV’s is the same person you spoke to).

Do a bit of research on the company so you have a deeper understanding of the issues they are facing. Remember, recruitment is a response to a business problem. If you know what that business problem is, you are better able to give them the solution they require.

The next step, now that you are clear about the essential and desirable requirements, is to modify your CV such that the profile statement and achievements promote those aspects of your experience and capabilities. That means letting go of that twelve year old achievement that you are so proud of if it is not relevant and instead pushing up something that you may not think is such a big deal if it is relevant.

Now do the same with you cover letter. I know a lot of people don’t read cover letters but you don’t know who does and who doesn’t. Assume they do, and write a good cover letter; one page, with two main sections. After the niceties give them some evidence that you meet their essential requirements and if you haven’t used too much space, indicate that you offer some of the desirables as well. In the next paragraph explain why you think this is a suitable role for you.

In other words, tell them that you CAN do the job, and tell them that you are MOTIVATED.

Now, the most important stage. Send it in.