Weekend Discussion: How to Read a Job Ad
May 18, 2007 by Deb Ng
Filed under Freelance Writing
How to Read a Job Ad
by Allison Landa
When is a Craigslist rose not a rose? When it’s a job ad riddled with potential signs that this may not be the position you should be seeking.
Common wisdom says that a job interview is a two-way street — you’re looking just as closely at a potential employer as they are at you, and trying to figure out if this is a good match.
But by reading the ad carefully to figure out if a particular job is for you, you’ll stay one step ahead of common wisdom.
Here’s a few red flags:
- Vague wording. If a potential employer can’t spell out at least a few specifics of what you’ll be doing, it’s hard to tell if this is a job that you’re qualified for or even something that will hold your interest. More than that, the employer themselves may not have a clear understanding of the position — meaning you may sign on for one duty and find yourself dealing with a bit of bait-and-switch.
- Too much detail: Just as vague wording can make a job ad suspicious, so can one that spells out far too many specifics. Think of a job ad as a resume for the position itself — spelling out its highlights and major duties, as well as the qualifications required. Would you include your experience as a third-grade handball champion in your professional resume? Too much detail may indicate that a confused hiring manager — or even a micromanager — is lurking.
- A hard-ass attitude: It’s one thing to be professional, another to be confrontational. I’ve seen job ads that request writing samples and in the next breath warn potential applicants against plagiarism. When hiring managers assume the worst, they often get it. Steer clear.
- Pay you tomorrow for a hamburger today: We’ve all seen the ads that promise deferred compensation … “If the work goes well, this may turn into a paying position.” Phooey. My car mechanic doesn’t provide an unpaid trial period, neither does my landlord, and neither should you.
And to balance out the negativity, here’s a few promising job-ad signs:
- Smart writing and good organization: The person writing the job ad may not be Homer, but if he can put two words together in a coherent way, it indicates some degree of intelligence. Good to have in a boss. Same goes for a well-organized ad — one that’s not too long, not too short, but just the right amount of information for me to decide whether or not to throw down a resume.
- Offers specifics: Good job ads let you know the potential employer’s expectations up front. When you read these ads, you have a good understanding of the tasks involved and the qualifications needed to get them done.
- Humanity: Anything to let you know you won’t be working for a robot. Even a humorous turn of phrase can make the difference. Humanity in job ads has its limitations, though — I don’t want to read your job ad and know your cup size, whether you’re a guy or girl. Limits, people, limits.
This post sponsored by
NEW Teleclass (Last-Minute Sign-up): The Case for Case Studies (Why You Need Them and How to Write Them): Learn the marketing power of success stories and how to create them from case study pro’s Steve Slaunwhite and Casey Hibbard. Grab a seat while they are still available! Find out how you can get the Cracking the Case Study Market Handbook included at a substantial discount. Click here for details
$100 Worth of Gas Gift Cards for $25
What’s the catch? Our advertisers pay for the rest. All you have to do is fill out three slips, choose your favorite gas station, and mail them in. And if you’re looking for a new business opportunity, you can make $10 for each booklet you sell (sign up under Affiliate Program at the bottom of the page for this). Click here for more details!
This was very helpful. Thank you for posting it.
Great advice, especially for newbies.
I have come across some additional red flags – job ads that are written in broken English and posters who reply to questions you pose about payment with vague promises or hourly wage estimates. The latter obviously have no idea how much work is required to research and write “short articles and brief reviews.” Some are so arrogant as to say you can write 3 or 4 500-word abstracts in 1 hour – for $10! I try to avoid web publishers who exhibit disrespect for what we writers do.
Bea
Awesome post Deb
Too bad you didn’t write this way back when I was introduced to Craigslist (and other freelance writing/editing job post sites).
Like Bea’s comment on “Some are so arrogant as to say you can write 3 or 4 500-word abstracts in 1 hour – for $10!” I scoff in the face of advertisers who use phrases such as, “…the potential to make…” That usually means, “We’ll pay $1 an article, and if you write 20 articles in an hour, hey, you’re making $20 an hour!”
Yeah. Kiss my tail, buddy.
Great post! Another thing I watch for are job posts that say something akin to, “Writing students wanted/welcome” or “We are not looking for great writers” — both almost always indicate low or no pay.
And don’t forget my personal favorite
“Perfect for stay at home moms.”
I think seasoned writers can tell from ads who has the sweet gigs and who to stay away from. It’s the newbies who benefit the most from these articles.
Good post, Allison.
These are great. I’ve had both good and bad experiences on CL. I appreciate when a poster includes a real email or name of the publication instead of a generic gigs email and a reference to some type of “real estate mag.” That way I can do my research and tailor my query to their style and needs. Plus, it makes it easier to follow up later if I think it’s worth it.
Sometimes, however, one vague ad can be a hidden gem. I read one ad that basically stated “Travel Writers Needed, Must be able to meet deadlines.” That was it. I answered it anyway because I am a former travel agent. The job was fantastic, is turning out to be full-time, and pays $80 for 2,500 word articles.
For that reason, I would say that sometimes it pays to at least ask for more details.
$80 for a 2500 word article is far below what you should be getting, especially if ANY amount of research is required. Just wanted to let you know…you’re working for far below what your services are worth.
I agree that it’s worthwhile to ask for more details… but before you apply.
Anonymous, while I agree that a 2,500-word article can be a lot of work, and might deserve more than $80, it would be nice to find out a little more information before you criticize. For all we know, Ann rips one of those articles out in an hour or two — and $80 or even $40 an hour is nothing to sneeze at.
You’re right. And if any of you can rip off a 2500 word article in an hour or two, my hats off to you. I wasn’t trying to be rude…I just think some people aren’t aware of what is ‘good’ pay. Fine if it’s extra pocket money, but I doubt you could support yourself on it.
An $80 article takes me about 3 articles to write. That’s FAR more than I could every earn around here in Vermont. My husband’s been at his job for 28 years and I’m earning the same hourly as he is now.
The average rate of pay here in this area of Vermont is $10 an hour, so I’m more than happy to NOT have to drive my car on a 30 to 40 commute one-way and work from home.
Perhaps it is all in the perspective of where you live.
I stand corrected then. I could never produce an article of that length in that amount of time.
I just notice I said “articles” instead of hours… sigh. Humidity got to me yesterday something fierce.
As I’d said, I’m a former travel agent and travel articles come very easy to me, so I can write one in three hours. The hardest was for the Netherlands because many of the sites wouldn’t translate from Dutch to English, so that one took me about five.
I have a slew of travel guides on my bookshelves to help out. I can also type 80 words a minute which is faster than many, so that helps too.
But in general, areas of Northern VT receive poor pay in comparison to our taxes and housing costs. My mom worked for a bank (bounced checks/collections) for 6 years before being laid off due to a bank merger. She was earning $10.50 after 6 years. That’s typical pay in VT so I’m very happy making what I do.
I’ve also talked to people who live in Manhattan who say that the pay scales here are horrendous and they don’t know how we survive. So I’m sure it is all in the perspective.