Today’s Tip: Don’t Trust Job Descriptions

As a job seeker, I don't want you to rely 100% on what those poorly written and outdated job descriptions say about the position. They were most likely written 10 years ago and not by the Hiring Manager! For some strange reason, these documents are more protected than the winners of the Emmy Awards on the eve of the big night in Hollywood. It takes a full corporate legal team and the VP of Human Resources to approve of any changes to these sacred documents. Thus, they are quite different from what the Hiring Manager truly wants and what gets posted on the job boards and company website. So what should a job seeker do?

Do your homework and try to read between the lines. I know it is difficult, but if you network with enough people at that company, you will begin to paint a picture of the projects they are working on, the tools, applications and "pain points" that they are currently experiencing. Eventually, you will be able to "extrapolate" the real needs of that Hiring Manager, and be able to modify your resume to meet those "unwritten" desires that might only be in the mind of the Hiring Manager.

In the meantime, don't let a few shortcomings stop you from researching and eventually applying to a job posting in which you only have 75% of the posted requirements. In reality, you might be the perfect candidate in the Hiring Manager's mind.