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The first step in finding a strong match between an employer and a candidate is often the job posting, so both parties must do their due diligence in this “initial introduction.” For job seekers, this means knowing your goals, priorities, and skills and assessing the posting with a critical lens. For employers, this means writing a “robust, accurate, transparent job description,” said Turner Rafter, senior HR business partner at the University of Colorado.
Here, we go back to the basics and examine how job seekers and employers can work together to ensure a strong match for any opening — starting with the job posting.
What Is a Job Seeker’s Responsibility When Evaluating Job Postings?
Recognize You’re on the Same Side
Job searches in higher education are notoriously long. This can be frustrating and disheartening for job seekers. When weeks turn into months and months turn into years, it’s hard not to feel like the deck is stacked against you. However, it’s important to distinguish emotions from facts.
At its core, a job posting is simply an employer seeking the best possible candidate for the open position and the institution.
“Bringing a new person on to join a team is a very important decision,” said Rafter. “How can they ensure that they are hiring someone who is excited to do the work and to contribute to the organization? How do they know if the person will be happy and like the job?”
Taking this step back and looking at job openings from a wide lens can help job seekers shift their mindset.
It can also help to remember that you have some agency in this process. While you do need to make a strong case for your candidacy, you must also evaluate whether this is work you can — and want to — do and whether the employer and environment align with your own values.
Be Intentional in Your Search
It can be tempting to rage apply or take a broad approach in an attempt to “keep your options open” — or maybe you just need a job (any job).
If your situation doesn’t require urgency, be selective about which postings you apply to.
Valerie Mandel, executive director of the Rollins College Center for Career and Life Planning, advises her students to get clarity around their goals and priorities before applying to any roles.
“Identify your skills and competencies to determine what you are looking for in a role,” she said. “Make a list of non-negotiables, such as location, salary, in-person or virtual, and company culture.”
Narrowing your focus to jobs you sincerely want to do and employers you want to work for are key to advancing your candidacy. When you’ve done the hard work of refining your goals and priorities, you’ll have a smaller, more targeted group of jobs to apply to — and you’ll be able to convey genuine enthusiasm.
Thoroughly Assess the Opportunity and Your Fit
“Evaluating postings with a critical lens is key to ensuring alignment with one’s skills, values, and long-term goals,” said Alex Reyes, talent acquisition advisor at UC Berkeley.
Read descriptions carefully and do an honest assessment of whether you meet the criteria and skills required. Then, reflect back on your goals and determine whether the opening offers what you need and want.
“Job descriptions are tools companies use to articulate their needs for a position,” said Mandel. “They should provide potential candidates with the necessary details to evaluate the work involved, along with the required skills, experience, and knowledge.” Take full advantage of this opportunity and try to get a clear picture of whether there is alignment.
AI tools can be helpful for assessing how your skills align with a posting, but another way to do this, Mandel said, is to highlight or circle keywords in the description. Visualizing and assessing your alignment in this way can also help you compare positions and determine which ones may be a better fit and ultimately worth your time and effort.
Make a List of Unknowns
“Well-crafted postings should prioritize clarity, transparency, and accessibility,” explained Reyes. Even so, a job posting gives you just one small glimpse at an employer. Make a list of unanswered questions as you review the posting. What might you need to know that wasn’t addressed, or what concerns might you have?
Do questions remain about:
- the culture of the institution and whether it aligns with your values
- opportunities for growth in the department or institution
- work styles and communication preferences, particularly if a job is remote
- research funds if you’re a faculty member
- benefits
Answer as many lingering questions as you can with your own research and save the ones that you can’t for the interview or offer stages (if you’re selected). When researching the institution, Mandel cautions candidates to evaluate online employee reviews carefully. While they can help paint a picture of the institution, keep in mind that disgruntled employees often write negative reviews, she said.
What Employers Should Keep in Mind When Writing Jost Postings
Prioritize Accuracy, Honesty, and Transparency
While a good job advertisement generates excitement about the position and entices candidates to apply, it’s important to be honest about what the job is and isn’t. Resist any urge to oversell it.
“A job description should reflect as accurately as possible what the duties and responsibilities of a position are,” said Rafter. “It should accurately paint a picture of what their day-to-day work would look like. The job description is a great opportunity to ensure that the essential, everyday tasks and special projects that need to be completed in a role are clearly communicated.”
Though salary transparency is not required in all states yet, Rafter says it’s often more helpful to include compensation in a job posting than to withhold it. When this information is withheld, candidates and employers often find out far too late that there is too large of a discrepancy between what the employer offers and what the candidate expects.
“Being upfront and honest about pay can yield a pool of interested candidates because it allows people to make an informed decision about whether they can afford to accept an offer to work in the role,” Rafter said.
In a similar vein, he advises employers to be specific about the work location/arrangement. Is the person expected to be in the office on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays? Once a month? Once a year?
“The more specificity that can be provided in the job description, the better candidates can determine their interest and whether it is a good opportunity for them,” he explained.
Provide a Holistic Overview
Laura Sroufe, communications & employee engagement specialist at South Dakota State University, says that candidates need to be able to picture themselves in the role and at your university.
“[When writing a job advertisement], I like to showcase who we are as a university and share a bit about our community,” she said. “I hyperlink to our university and community websites, as well as videos, so candidates can easily explore.”
She also links the department-specific websites and provides a high-level overview. “That [might mean] pulling from the department’s mission or highlighting achievements that would appeal to candidates,” Sroufe said.
Making these videos and pages easy to find takes some of the burden off the job seeker but also allows you to curate a group of materials that showcase what your campus has to offer. Strive to paint a picture of not just the role but the department, institution, and community in which you’re located.
“These all play a role in a candidate’s decision [to apply and ultimately] say yes to an offer,” Laura said.
Remember
“A job posting is one of the first opportunities for an employer and a job seeker to see if they are aligned or on the same page in terms of some basic things that they are looking for in a career,” Rafter said. When employers and job seekers treat job postings as the vital opportunity that they are, both parties save time and effort and boost their chances of finding a strong fit.
For more employer tips on writing job advertisements, view our 10 essential job posting tips.
