If you think a job posting looks interesting, how do you analyze it to confirm it will be a good fit for you?
As a career and job search coach, I have a little trick that can help you figure that out. Have you ever tried focusing on the verbs in a job listing?
Verbs are what you do; nouns are what you know. Verbs can be in the past, present or future tense. They can be active or passive. And they will tell you what you actually need to do in the job!
1) Use a pen or a highlighter to identify all of the verbs in the job posting.
Do you teach? Cook? Build?
Maybe you’re a short-order cook and want to become a chef at a nice restaurant. You see an interesting job listing but aren’t sure that you are qualified. Well, it all depends on the verbs included in the description. Can you decide on a recipe? Buy the right ingredients? Bake the bread? Decorate the cake?
2) Identify the verbs in your own resume.
Do the same exercise with your resume. What are your verbs? In this case, my resume would not say that I cook. You would not want to hire me because I am genuinely a lousy cook!
3) Compare the verbs in the job posting with those in your resume.
Do you already know how to do these things, or can you learn quickly? If so, you should think about applying for the job!
If you have a LinkedIn premium account and apply for a job, it will list the top 10 skills you need, then compare them to your resume. If you can do most of the things or are a fast learner, it might be a good job for you.
Learning to “read” job descriptions in this way is a learned skill. The more you do it, the better you get. If you’d like a head start, please feel free to schedule a free consultation with me. We can discuss the jobs you are currently applying for and determine if they are a good fit for you and your skills!