How to decipher a job description to improve

your chances of getting hired

Get a better understanding of what exactly an employer is looking for, and
use those insights to put some extra shine on your job application.
Jon Simmons, Monster contributor

If you’ve been searching Monster job postings for a golden career opportunity, you
don’t have to look too far for a helping hand. Job descriptions themselves offer
valuable guidance on how you can best position yourself as a strong, competitive
candidate.

Job descriptions can vary from company to company—even if you’re searching for
one particular job title—so you have to know how to interpret the information in front
of you. First tip: Note the keywords used and be sure to use the same words in your
application materials.

For more, we asked career experts which parts of the job description are most
important and can help lead you to a signed offer letter.

The company description

Why it’s important: It helps you learn more about the company culture and how well it
synchs with your personality.

A company describes itself as it wants to be seen, and from that, you can get clues
as to what the company values, what you should research, and what kinds
of questions you should ask in an interview.

For example, if a company describes itself as a rapidly growing athletic brand for
busy millennials, you can infer that the company sees itself as energetic, youthful,
and poised for success. If that matches your personality, then describe yourself
similarly in your cover letter.

Once you score an interview, investigate the financial health of the sporting goods
industry, design trends, millennial buying habits, and competitors. Use what you
learn to write up some interview questions that demonstrate you’ve done your
homework.

“Doing some research about the business, the particular position, or learning about
the company’s customer base, challenges, interests, direction, etc., are all very good
practices because it allows the applicant to understand the business better from the
perspective of the company,” says Stephanie Troiano, executive recruiter of The Hire
Talent, a pre-employment assessment company in Brea, California. “I’ve found that
companies really appreciate when candidates take their time to do research and
then can ask good, thoughtful questions about their business.”

The first few bullet points

Why they’re important: They usually map out the bulk of your duties.

Hiring managers frequently frontload job descriptions with the most crucial
responsibilities of the job. “Generally, the top three bullets on a job description
represent 80% or more of what a candidate will be expected to do for a job,” says
April Klimkiewicz, a career counselor at Bliss Evolution in Fort Lauderdale.

“Often, when job descriptions are being written, employers jot down—in order—the
first duties that come to mind for the position,” she says. “As you get further down the
list, typically, these bullets have come to the mind of the employer later, representing
a smaller percentage of the job duties and requirements.”

To stand out to potential employers, make sure your resume elaborates on your

skills that mirror the duties mentioned in the top bullet points; you can simply list your
skills that align with the job description’s lower-level bullet points.

Required experience/skills
Why they’re important: They tell you what to highlight on your resume and cover
letter.

As with required duties, job descriptions will list the most valuable skills and
experiences at the top of the list. Your resume and cover letter should follow suit.
Why? Because most employers will try to hire the person who will need the least
amount of training.

“I advise clients to use accomplishments on their resume to address each of the

required experiences, and to put this information first,” says Jessica Hernandez, a
professional resume writer at Great Resumes Fast. For each major accomplishment,
she suggests creating bullet points that describe the challenge presented to you, the
actions you took, and the results of your strategic efforts.

For example, if the job description says you need experience in staffing, you might
mention that you researched and implemented the launch of a new applicant
tracking system that helped accelerate hiring times by 25%. “When a job seeker
customizes their resume to each position they apply to using this strategy,”
Hernandez says, “they're much more likely to receive a response from their
application.”

Find jobs tailored to you

Finding a new job is all about finding the right fit, for both you and an employer.
While a job description can show you how you can present yourself as a good fit for
the company, there are ways of finding jobs that are tailored to your skills and
experience. Need some help discovering them? Join Monster for free today. As a
member,  you can upload up to five versions of your cover letter and resume—each
tailored to different types of jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every
day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Additionally, you
can get job alerts sent directly to your inbox so you can apply as soon as jobs that
interest you become available. Let Monster play matchmaker and do some of the
job-search work for you!

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