Questionable job postings

While digging through job postings, have you ever come across a posting that seemed a bit... off? Maybe there were bullet points in the job description that didn't make sense - or maybe the compensation didn't make sense for the responsibilities listed?

I've been thinking a lot about job postings this week - the people who write them, the people who approve them, and the people who end up applying to them.

Here are a few thoughts about those odd or questionable postings:

1. Material may have been added to the posting.

- The last person to edit the posting might have desired additional skill sets or mastery within a second key discipline. But rather than creating a new position or training from within, they hope to get those skills from the next person hired.

- If you still want to apply: Speak to the items in the posting that align with what you can provide. Then, think about the pain points that the post writer might be trying to address with the out-of-place bullet points. Try to speak to those pain points across your application.

- Ask yourself: What is the writer of this posting actually after?

2. The previous employee who occupied the desk may have been underpaid.

- The person who created the post may have intentionally listed the lower salary, hoping to find candidates that would accept it just like the previous employee.

- If you still want to apply: You get to make an important decision. You can either list your desired salary in alignment with the posting salary. Or, (and I wish more than anything you'll do this), you'll list the salary you actually want on your application.

- In the end, you might not hear back from the employer. But you'll have taken one more step toward the ending of unfair employment practices, and that means more than you could ever imagine.

Job seekers, what are your thoughts? Do you have anything we can add to the conversation?

—

Follow #GabbyTurmelle on LinkedIn