6 Steps to Evaluate a Job Description

Boston High-Tech Recruiter

Presents…

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( Part 2 of 2 )

Intro

• Thousands of jobs are posted every week • Job seekers must determine:

– which job openings suit them best – which job openings they are qualified for

• Here are the final 3 of the top 6 essential steps to evaluating job descriptions…

Step 4: Down to Brass Tacks

• Are you willing to…– relocate– telecommute– travel extensively– endure a long commute

• If a job requires a commitment you’re unwilling to make, or would put a tremendous strain on your personal life…– you should keep looking

Step 4: Down to Brass Tacks

• Hiring managers often omit salary information from job descriptions– use noncommittal phrases, like “commensurate with experience”

• Get a feel for what the position might pay…– search for similar listings that do post salary info– visit online resources, like Salary.com

• Don’t rule out a position simply because it pays less than your current job– ensure the opening’s positive factors compensate for any cut in wages

Step 4: Down to Brass Tacks

• Listings may ask for a salary history • Translate past wages into annualized numbers for easy comparison• If applying for a sales job, quote previous base salaries & commissions• If your salary history does not justify getting paid what an opening is offering…

– make sure you’re not significantly overreaching– ensure your portfolio can compensate

Step 5: Where Do You Fit in the Timeline

• Many professionals move from one full-time, permanent position to another• Some professionals are used to contract positions with fixed lengths• Don’t exclude a position based solely on its length

– especially in a tight market or when trying to break into an industry

• A contract or temp-to-hire job could be a stepping stone to the perfect job

Step 5: Where Do You Fit in the Timeline

• Keep in mind how soon you’ll be expected to start – If you need 3 weeks to relocate, but you’re expected to start next Monday

• clearly, this is not the job for you. – If the opening sounds great, but the starting date is 3 months out

• consider if you can wait that long• consider taking on temporary work before your full-time role begins

Step 6: There’s No Need for Concessions

• Many candidates who work with CareerEncore because they are dissatisfied with their current job…– only took their current job because they knew it would be easy to get

• If you are rationalizing multiple negatives and overlooking apparent downsides– keep looking ; there is a better job opening out there for you

Step 5: There’s No Need for Concessions

• Don’t waste your time applying to several positions you could “tolerate”– narrow down the listings to a handful of openings you are sincerely interested in

• Especially after a long fruitless search, it’s easy to get overexcited– take a break and look back at the listing later– ensure your initial enthusiasm didn’t cloud your judgment

Conclusion• Evaluating job listings can be a long and tedious process • Most professionals spend decades building their careers

– searching for a job in which you will flourish is worth the initial time investment

• If you, or someone you know, is looking for a job and would like to partner with an industry-insider…– Reach out to CareerEncore:

• Recruiter@CareerEncore.com• (617) 242-4443

Sources

• Adapted with help from:– Miriam, http://bit.ly/Me2rW2– Teresa, http://bit.ly/K1UqHI)

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Brought to You By:

Boston High-Tech Recruiter

Connect With Us:

www.CareerEncore.com

Recruiter@CareerEncore.com

(617) 242-4443