Lesson 6: Understanding Job Descriptions: Reading a Job Advertisement

Hi there, in this video, we're going to look at job descriptions. We will find out where to look for them and what are some of the important parts we should look for when reading them. When you begin looking for a job, you're probably going to search for jobs in job advertisements. You will usually find these advertisements in newspapers and on Internet job sites. So, we will take a closer look at an example of this kind of advertisement and decide what you should look for when reading it.

When you begin your job search, you might first look for jobs in a local newspaper where you live. In the United States, many newspapers are now online, and you can find many jobs there. There are also websites that focus only on jobs like, in the US, Monster.com.  

Also, many larger companies have information on their websites about job openings, so you can go directly to the website of the company where you'd like to work. You will probably start by looking in one, some, or all of these places for a job.

It is normal to try and narrow your job search to the field or area where you want to work or where you have training. For example, school teacher, or office receptionist, or truck driver, or nurse. This way, you can match yourself with jobs that you are more likely prepared for and, therefore, you will have a better chance of getting an interview. So, when searching through job advertisements, look for job titles related to your area of training, experience, or interest.

Parts of a job advertisement

So, now let's look at some of the parts of a job advertisement. Say I am interested in helping people and I am an organized person. I want to work in an office environment with other people. I find this job advertisement for a client services coordinator, and I wonder, am I qualified to apply for it? Qualified means having the minimum requirements to do a job.

For example, in one job this might mean you need to have a university degree. In another job, it might mean you have to have a license or a certification in a particular area like driving a truck or being a nurse. How do you know what qualifications are needed? Well, the advertisement should clearly say this, it may say “qualifications” or “requirements”. Let's look at this ad and see what qualifications are required. Can you see where the qualifications are?

That's right! Under the title, Requirements, there is a list of six things. Number one is a qualification. Number two is work experience. Numbers three through six are skills, things that you are able to do like typing, good communication, and being organized.

The next question I should ask is, “what duties or responsibilities will I have to perform in this job?” Duties and responsibilities are tasks that I do regularly in a job. Can you see what these are in this job advertisement?

Let's take a look again and see. In this job, the duties and responsibilities are listed in the opening paragraph. They include greeting clients, answering telephones, performing other clerical functions. The word clerical means relating to working in an office.

If this job still seems like one I can do, because I'm qualified and I can perform the duties and responsibilities well, then what do I need to do to apply for the job? Apply means to put yourself forward formally for a job. Let's take one final look at a job advertisement and look for this information. Can you find it? 

That's right, at the bottom it says, fax or e-mail your resume to Pablo Cavero and it gives his fax number and e-mail address. So, if I want to apply for this position, I will send him my resume along with a cover letter. In units two and three we'll help you prepare these two important things.

Summary

 So, in this video, we've talked about where you can find a job advertisement. What are the most important parts of a job advertisement and how can we apply for a job we are interested and qualified for?

What's Next?

Next, practice some of the vocabulary we've looked at in this video with a short quiz.