UHB40102/40202:

ENGLISH FOR
OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSES

CHAPTER TWO: JOB SEEKING SKILLS

PREPARED BY:
NAJAH RAMLAN
READING AND UNDERSTANDING
JOB ADVERTISEMENTS
Job Advertisements
Job Advertisements
Job Advertisements
Vocabulary in Job Advertisements to Help You

• No exp req: no experience required

• Exp pref: experience preferred
• FT: Full-time work
• PT: Part-time work
• FT/PT: Full-time work or part-time work
• am/pm: Day or night work
• avail immed: available immediately
• Apply ASAP: apply as soon as possible
 Why?

• Can make your job search much easier.

• Better position to target your resume and cover
letter.
• Able to determine which jobs suit you.
• Write your resume to meet the employer’s criteria.
• For example, you can tailor your resume career
objective and resume career profile to the
information in the job ads.
 How to Read a Job Ad

• Identify the advertiser. Is it the company doing the

hiring? Or have they outsourced to a recruitment
firm?
• Note the company. Who’s running the ad? Do you
know the company? How big is it? Have you heard of
it? What kind of reputation does it have?
• Review the job title. If it says “manager”, do the job
duties really fit with that?
 How to Read a Job Ad

• Scan for job duties. Vague descriptions may mean

that the company doesn’t know what you’ll be doing,
that they’re just fishing to see who’s out there, or
that they don’t want people inside or outside their
company to be privy to their strategic plans.
• Determine what they’re looking for. What
qualifications do they seek? Phrases like “you must
have” or “you need” mean that there’s no point in
applying otherwise. But words like “preferably”,
“preferred”, “ideally” or “desired” suggest some
flexibility.
 How to Read a Job Ad

• Pay attention to special instructions. Look out for

instructions such as “No phone calls”, “Apply by
email”, “Include a handwritten cover letter”, “Include
three samples of your previous work – submit as
PDFs”.
• Look for pay and benefits information. Do they note
pay? Make sure you know your worth before you
apply. Does the job include benefits?
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
MATCHING SKILLS WITH JOB
REQUIREMENTS
 Decoding a Job Ad

• Carefully reviewing the company's write-up of a job

will allow you to save time, by only applying to
relevant jobs, write persuasive cover letters, and feel
prepared for phone screens and in-person job
interviews.
• So, how?
The Parts of a Job Posting
• Typically broken out into several
parts.
• Expect to see information about the
company, details on the desired
qualifications of applicants, and
some description of the
responsibilities involved in the role.
Job Title
• May contain clues about the
required experience in this position,
the level of responsibility involved,
the salary, and the nature of the
work.
Qualifications
• Sometimes called "requirements" or
"experience“.
• Details on the background
applications should have, including
prior experience and
accomplishments at other
jobs, education, and soft and hard
skills.
Responsibilities
• It is what you would do at the job.
• If some points do not seem familiar,
that does not necessarily mean you
should not apply.
• But if you are wildly unfamiliar with
all the responsibilities, it could be a
sign this is not the best spot for you.
About Us
• Most job postings will provide
background on the company.
• Let this be your starting point into
researching the company, and
understanding its culture and
values.
Benefits and Pay
• Companies tend to be coy when it
comes to salaried positions.
• When it comes to benefits,
however, companies will generally
be direct, since all employees
typically receive the same benefits.
Experience Level
• You may want to review this
alongside the job title.
 Finding the Perfect Match

• As you review any section of a job description, keep in

mind that the most important items are probably
listed toward the top.
• Remember, with many job postings it will be
impossible for any one person to be a perfect match.
• Be on the lookout for repetition. Example: self-starter
and independently develop.
• Find out more about what is included, and be aware
of things that should never be included in job
descriptions, i.e. gender, marital status, or religion.
IDENTIFYING STRENGTH AND
WEAKNESS
 Understanding Jargon

• Job advertisements sometimes use familiar phrases.

• There can be something a bit awkward about it in the
job description.
• Some of the more common phrases – self-starter,
great communication skills, good sense of humour,
multi-tasking – are intended as clues.
• Eg. – good sense of humour - daily frustrations
abound, and if you cannot roll with the punches, you
will find yourself frustrated in the position.
 Reviewing the Job Descriptions

• Look for compatibility.

• Before writing cover letter – it should be personalized
to the specific job, and to the needs highlighted in
the posting.
• Before submitting application – do review the
posting one more time. Have you followed the
instruction for applying for the position correctly?
Did you emphasize the correct details in your cover
letter? Should you tweak your resume to reflect
certain skills above others?
 Reviewing the Job Descriptions

• Before job interview – read the job description

carefully before your conversation. It will remind you
of the details of the conversation, and show you
which points to emphasize.