How to Read a Job Description Like a Recruiter

ResumesJob Search

Feb 5

I’ve been recruiting since 2015 and I can confidently say that the majority of applicants fall into 3 categories.

They don’t read job descriptions before applying.
They don’t know how to read job descriptions.
Or they only look at the qualifications section and ignore the rest.

All three are wrong and are not doing you any favors. I would be willing to bet money that learning how to read job descriptions is one of the best skills you can develop for job searching.

So today, I want to discuss how recruiters read job descriptions so you too can read them like a pro, save yourself time, and improve the number of interviews you go on when job searching.

Let’s dive in.

Opening

The opening paragraph of most job descriptions is a treasure trove of information not only about the company, but also about what they value as important. In many cases you can identify key themes for your resume in the first one or two paragraphs, so don’t skip this section.

Here’s an example for a Global Enablement Program Manager.

About the job
We’re looking for problem solvers, innovators, and dreamers who are searching for anything but business as usual. Like us, you’re a high performer who’s an expert at your craft, constantly challenging the status quo. You value inclusivity and want to join a culture that empowers you to show up as your authentic self. You know that success hinges on commitment, that our differences make us stronger, and that the finish line is always sweeter when the whole team crosses together.

Summary: This role requires an individual who is a strategist and tactical producer. If you are self-guided and know how to solicit feedback and design, develop, and implement impactful curriculum, then this role may be for you. This specific enablement role will focus on ensuring enablement content is developed, accessible, and maintained to ensure our go to market teams have the resources they need to succeed in their roles. You will be the person who will drive consistency in how we sell, drive adoption, and earn the renewal with our customers. This individual is nearly autonomous but works in partnership with Revenue Enablement Leadership, Revenue Operations Business Partners, and Regional stakeholders to spearhead company initiatives. This role will be a lot of work but the immediate impact to the organization will be immediate and very visible. This is an opportunity unlike most that come along in Revenue Enablement organizations.

By reading the opening of this job description I know to highlight a couple of things in my resume.

First, I should write my resume to convey that I am someone who challenges the status quo. I might want to use those exact words in the opening of my resume, but more importantly, I now know to find examples of this in each of my job experiences and to share those as well so I can build this case throughout my entire resume.

Second, I know that I will be working with GTM teams so any opportunity I have in my resume to mention my work specifically with GTM will be valuable to the potential employer.