How do you decide if a job might be a good fit for you?
Job descriptions are often written by people who aren’t, well, professional writers. As such, they often lack information that you need to determine if it’s a job that you should apply for. So, is it worth asking for more information and then target it? Or could you instead figure out if it’s a perfect job for you by analyzing the nouns!
Nouns are what you know, but verbs are what you do. That sounds straightforward, but nouns can be either tangible or intangible, singular or plural. And they can give you some big clues about what the job is actually like and if you qualify for it:
1) Use a pen or a highlighter to identify all of the nouns in the job posting.
These are the things such as cabinets, cars, or poetry.
If you are building cabinets, what tools do you use? Hammer? Nails? A leveler? These are “things.” But poetry is also a noun even though it is not physical.
Sometimes they go together. I am a professional resume writer. I know how to write (verb) a good resume (noun.) because I am trained and experienced.
2) Identify nouns in your own resume.
Do the same exercise. What do you know from your experience or training?
3) Compare the nouns that are part of both the job requirements and your knowledge/resume.
Do you already know what is needed, or can you be a quick study?
A neat trick if you have a premium Linkedin account and apply for a job is that the system will call out the top-10 skills and knowledge that are required. Look specifically at the nouns. Are they are a good match? The more job descriptions you read, the better you will get at focusing on the nouns. But if you are not sure how to analyze a job posting this way, please feel free to schedule a free consultation. Let’s talk about how I can help you find the job of your dreams!