Are you reading job ads wrong?

Many job seekers believe that their focus should be on submitting as many applications as possible. While applying for jobs is obviously an important part of any hunt for work, I often hear from experts that you should focus on the quality of applications — not the quantity.

The key to success when adopting the quality over quantity mindset as a job seeker is to be strategic about the positions you pursue. As a result, it’s crucial to know how to properly dissect a job ad. 

Where should you start?

Job seekers often make an understandable mistake — applying for a position when they meet the basic requirements listed. But Ashley Watkins, who is the owner and founder of Write Step Résumés, says “that’s the bare minimum.”

“You have to look at every section of the job posting,” she told me.

A good place to start is the list of responsibilities. “You want to look at those bullets and make sure you have done it before, or you have the transferable skills to do it.”

If your skills and experience don’t match up to all of the responsibilities, Watkins said that doesn’t mean you should move on. Instead, she suggested that you use the 80-20 rule, which means going after jobs where you have done or can do 80% of the listed responsibilities. The other 20% can be what you still need to learn.

Then, you can move on to the other sections of the job ad.

Watkins said you also want to judge if your personality aligns with what’s expected of the position. A person who does not like to travel should not apply for a position that requires a lot of work trips, for example.

As you’re reading, you should also take note of the keywords that appear in the job ad so you can use them in your resume and cover letter. They are likely to be nouns and words that show up repeatedly, said Watkins. Additionally, the required degrees, the position’s level, the company’s name and the company’s industry are all likely to be keywords.

Using the right keywords can increase your odds of grabbing the attention of an applicant tracking system and/or recruiter. Both tend to pick resumes that use certain keywords for a longer look. You can learn more about that by clicking here.

Look beyond the job posting

“The posting tells you a whole lot, but you have to take it a step further,” said Watkins.

If you’re looking at a business development position at a company, for example, she suggests looking at the LinkedIn profiles of people in similar positions to see what they’re doing and what their backgrounds are like.

Additionally, Watkins said to use your network or just reach out to people in the company who might be in positions to help you connect with the right recruiter or hiring manager. “You’ve got to reach out and humanize the process.”

Ultimately, your decision to apply should be based on what you’ve learned from the job posting and communicating with people at the company.

“The posting is a guideline,” said Watkins. “It’s not the bible. It’s not necessarily set in stone. You have to pay attention to what is required, what is preferred and what is a plus.”

How do you read job posts? Join the conversation.

? The follow-up:

I spent three days at LinkedIn’s annual Talent Connect conference for HR professionals talking with recruiters, listening to presentations and hearing from experts in the industry. I used the information I gathered to answer some of the questions you submitted ahead of my trip. A lot of you asked if your resumes are ever read by humans, for example. Recruiters told me that it depends on their workflow. Some companies may rely on their applicant tracking system to take an initial look at the avalanche of resumes they receive. Others may have recruiters manually take a look at resumes. Either way, you have to make a good impression on paper as quickly as possible. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

? Other news to help you #GetHired:

Robots are now conducting job interviews. Unilever is using artificial intelligence to find the best applicants based on videos of them responding to an identical set of questions. The system works by comparing the applicant’s language, tone and facial expressions against a repository of previous interviews with people who’ve gone on to excel at work. HireVue, the company behind the technology, claims the process is a good indicator of future performance by minimizing the role of human bias, reports the U.K.’s The Telegraph. Critics say the technology will favor those who are good at video interviews, however. Here’s what people are saying about the technology.

Would you apply for a job using Alexa or Google Assistant? McDonald’s announced that it will allow job seekers to start applications by answering questions on Alexa or Google Assistant using a program known as Apply Thru. Applicants are asked basic questions, told about jobs available in their areas and then texted a link to an application. The applications are launching in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the U.K., according to CNBC. Here’s what people are saying about the news.

Military service may harm a job seeker’s odds of landing some jobs, suggests new research. A series of surveys showed that people believed veterans were less suited for jobs that require social and emotional skills, according to Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. The findings support what veterans’ groups already know, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America CEO Jeremy Butler told the Military Times. The researchers say the results show that veterans can fight this bias by highlighting their emotional and interpersonal skills during the job search. Here’s what people are saying about the findings.

? #GetHired in motion:

If someone asked me what I do for a living, I’d tell them that I’m a journalist or that I work in media. Simon Sinek, who writes often about leadership, says you can also view your career as an opportunity to advance something bigger than yourself. Viewing your career through that lens can help you feel more fulfilled and play a factor in the jobs you choose. See Sinek’s full conversation with Isabelle Roughol, my colleague in the U.K., by clicking here.

? Up next:

As you see above, artificial intelligence is already creeping into the job search. Soon, AI will be deeply involved in other aspects of job seeking and hiring. In the next edition of #GetHired, we’ll dive into the world of AI to find out where it’s being used in the job search and where you can expect to see it popping up in the future. Have questions about AI’s relationship to job seeking? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired.