6 Steps to Evaluate a Job Description
Boston High-Tech Recruiter
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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:
• [email protected]• (617) 242-4443
Sources
• Adapted with help from:– Miriam, http://bit.ly/Me2rW2– Teresa, http://bit.ly/K1UqHI)
Thank You for Viewing Our Presentation
Brought to You By:
Boston High-Tech Recruiter
Connect With Us:
www.CareerEncore.com
(617) 242-4443
