Everything to Look for in a Job Description

One of the most widely-circulated and prevailing statistics I’ve found when researching hiring/employment trends, is the 6-second stat. In some iterations, it’s 5, others say 7, but regardless, it’s common knowledge that employers spend less than ten seconds looking at the average application.

However, a statistic I haven’t seen before is that applicants only spend an average of 14 seconds reviewing a job description before they decide whether to apply. That hardly seems like enough time to grasp what the position entails, what the company culture is like, whether you’re even qualified, etc.

Yes, we know it’s not realistic to suggest you spend a lot of time looking at each job description, researching the company, etc., but that doesn’t mean a quick look is going to be enough either. Job descriptions can tell you a lot about an open job. Learning to pick out what’s important and what’s not will help you find the right fit and apply to fewer jobs.

That should be music to the ears of anyone who’s been on the job hunt for a while.

Typical Information Found in a Job Description

Most job descriptions are pretty straightforward and should include the following five sections:

• Title
• Position Overview
• Key Responsibilities
• Qualifications
• Benefits/Compensation

The way these sections and the information contained in them are organized will vary, but if you stumble upon a job description that’s missing one of these sections — that’s a red flag.

Employers want to keep their posts short and to the point, so they shouldn’t be holding any of this very basic and important information back. The hiring process is already notorious for being tedious and drawn out — you shouldn’t have to waste even more time trying to figure out what job you’re even applying for.

What You Should Be Looking For and Why

We’re here to give you a guide for what you should be looking for in a job description. But before you look, we suggest you make a list of your top priorities and things you can’t compromise on. Remember, nobody knows what you’re looking for better than you.

Top Five Things to Look For:

1. Job Post Date

Depending on the sector, the average time it takes to fill an open position is between 12.7 and 49 working days. This doesn’t mean that every post older than 49 days is already filled, but job seekers should keep in mind that some companies like to leave their job posts up even after they’ve filled the position. It can be a safety net in case of a quick turnover or they simply forgot to take it down.

2. Unusual/Unique Qualifications

If you’re not applying for jobs you don’t qualify for, you probably already have the basic skills listed on most job descriptions that come up in your search. But what about the more unique expectations? Do any of them happen to line up more specifically with your experience or education? If so, this could be a better fit than some of the other opportunities. Increase your chances of landing an interview by highlighting those qualifications more prominently either on your resume, or by mentioning them directly in a cover letter.

3. Keywords/Phrases

Using keywords/phrases in your application is more important than ever before. Applicant tracking systems use keywords to determine if you are qualified for the job. So, you should be looking for any important words or phrases that are used many times in the job description.

4. Listed vs. Desired Duties 

Aside from the bad-faith employers who purposefully sugarcoat their job posts, these descriptions are meant to be an accurate snapshot of what the position entails. This means you need to be honest with yourself when reading the key responsibilities section. If some of the duties don’t sound enjoyable to you, or you’re unsure whether you can even perform them well, it’s very unlikely that you’re going to succeed in the position.

In other words — take the job description at face value, because at this point in time, it’s the only source of information you have.

5. Red Flags

We’ve listed one red flag above, in the form of lacking job descriptions, but others you want to look out for are:

• Impossible Expectations (i.e. listing the duties and qualifications that a single worker could never really possess)
• Scams and/or descriptions that suggest you’ll have to spend any of your own money to be a part of the company (these are likely going to be multi-level marketing schemes, not real positions)
• Non-Inclusive language or other indicators of a toxic work environment

When the Job Description is Poorly Written…

While it would be easy to say that every poorly written job description is a sign of a poorly run office, modern-day technology complicates the matter. Research shows that 57% of employers say they already use AI in their recruitment process. While this study didn’t indicate how often employers use chatbots to write their job descriptions, it’s definitely not unusual. Companies like Grammarly are even offering a tool strictly for curating job descriptions.

This makes it hard for job seekers to know which job postings are legit, which are scams, and which just have AI-related issues.

Luckily, CyberCoders is here to help. Instead of blindly sifting through endless job posts and hoping you find the right employer, let us make those connections for you. Our unrivaled recruitment technology is built to bring qualified candidates and top-tier employers together. Even better, we can do it in a fraction of the time, with many applicants receiving an interview within just five days. Check out our website to learn more!