Before applying for a job, you should be familiar with the keywords most commonly used to describe the desired job role, and you should also read the company’s vague employment statement such as: “We are seeking to hire someone who is proactive and can work well under pressure in a fast-paced work environment.”
These common job description phrases can, without you realizing, reveal a lot about a company’s priorities, the profile of an ideal candidate, and who belongs in the organization’s culture and who doesn’t. Here’s how to make sense of the words, according to recruiters and headhunters:
1. Fast-paced work environment:
Job search strategist Melanie L. Denny explained that the phrase refers to a heavy workload. She says: “This usually means that there is a lot of work to be done. The business will always keep you busy. So be ready to work quickly, because all the tasks will be rushed. You also have to learn quickly and work quickly, and your job may be at risk if you cannot.” keeping up with the fast pace.
If this job sounds like “the worst work environment you’ve ever known,” think twice before applying for this job.
2. Entrepreneur:
Job search expert Denny went on to explain that looking for an entrepreneur means that you will receive a bit of training, and then you will be expected to come up with creative ideas yourself. She also explained that it is common for startups to look for entrepreneurs. Leaders are likely to continue working on the details of business processes and procedures.
This job opportunity will be a warning sign for anyone who is relatively new to the field and still needs training, but it is ideal for an experienced manager who seeks to implement his ideas without much resistance.”
“Job hunting” coach Ashley Watkins said that if a company asks to hire an entrepreneurial employee; This means that you should not only introduce yourself in the job application; Rather, add an explanation of situations in which you took over the leadership of a project implementation process or took the initiative in the absence of the supervisor.
3. Be flexible or quick to perform:
You’ll need to understand your employer’s concept of flexibility, trainer Watkins explains: “Employers will sometimes want you to be flexible in your dealings, but it’s more about compromise than flexibility, and when I say ‘compromise’, it means you You will always be the loser, even if there is a middle ground between you because you will do everything they ask of you because you are flexible.”
One way to find out what flexibility means to them is to ask them directly, “How did the previous employee demonstrate his flexibility at work?”
Talent acquisition specialist at MST Solutions to provide professional solutions, Tejal Wagadia, said: If the required candidate’s qualities include being flexible; This means that “you have to agree to give up some things in the middle of working on a project, or while working on a task, and move on to other things; this also means that you cannot deal stubbornly with them, because they want someone who acts in their way and goes along with them, saying:” Well, let’s move on.”
4. Unlimited Paid Leave:
Unlimited vacation is part of the widespread policies pioneered by many companies such as Netflix; it will seem to you that the matter will show you the good deal of the employer with the adult employee who does not need “detailed management”; They give him the freedom to choose how much time off he takes, but because there is no clear phrase structure, employees end up taking less time off than usual.
The specialist, “Wagadia”, said: “Employees look resentful at the issue of taking vacations, and most employees prefer to know what vacations they have. How many? How will they benefit from them? A culture of not being able to take long vacations can also prevail within the organization,” she pointed out. Most employers think that a rookie employee in their first year taking a month off is a warning sign.
To better understand the company’s holiday policy, talk to someone with prior knowledge and ask them how many days off are allowed in the company and what percentage of people are entitled to it,” said former recruiter and professional coach Diana YK Chan.
5. Competitive Salary:
According to former recruiter Chan, “Seeing the phrase ‘competitive salary’ as a job qualification does not mean that the amount of salary cannot be negotiated. It’s debatable for them, but when the work you’re doing is worth a higher salary, that means you have more bargaining power, and in that case, you should stand your ground on your value and ask for a higher salary.”
To get a sense of what a “competitive salary” really means, you can ask about the salary range at a job interview.
6. Multitasker:
Job search strategist Denny explains these statements by saying, “If you read the phrase ‘multitasking’, you will be asked to be multi-skilled to do things outside of your job tasks. assigned to the employee” that appears elsewhere in the work requirements posting.
This could be a warning sign for a candidate who values pre-set tasks and doesn’t want to be drawn in too many directions, and for another candidate, who might enjoy switching tasks daily.”
Former recruiter Chan said, “If the job requirements list expects candidates to take on many responsibilities and handle everything very efficiently, ask a clarifying question in the job interview, such as ‘How much time – in percentage – is it supposed to be devoted to doing this?'” Part of the job?” This will help us, as job seekers, to know the answer to the question: Do I want to spend time on it?
7. Works well under pressure.
We understand from this phrase that the candidate will be subject to a lot of projects with unrealistic deadlines, under the knowledge of the management in this case, and that is why most people leave within a year or two; Most people will not survive or succeed in the long term under these conditions.”
To succeed in this environment, you need to accept imperfection. “You’ll have to put up with mediocrity,” Wagadia says.
8. An enthusiastic person:
And the specialist, “Wagadia”, said that enthusiasm does not mean that you have to be a flame of enthusiasm for this profession, but that you need to attend a specially prepared interview to present your experiences in this field, even if you are not enthusiastic, do enough research that shows your interest in the employer.
9. Proficient in problem-solving:
If you encounter this phrase on a list of job requirements, as former recruiter Chan explains: You are likely to be asked in a job interview questions such as, “Tell me about a time when you should have focused on your strategy,” or any other question asked. You share how to troubleshoot.
If you see the importance of these required criteria, prepare yourself to answer expected questions about the difficult problems you will face in this job role, and be prepared to explain how to address them.
10. Nicknames for superstars such as “Ninjas” and “Star”:
According to the specialist “Wagadia”, the inclusion of these fictional titles: “means that the candidate must have a very high level of experience, which will meet the expectations of the employer that you know what you do, and you know how to do it skillfully, but these expectations are often unrealistic.”.
If these phrases make you reluctant to apply, rest assured that you are not alone. Research has found that phrases like “ninja” that refer to a rigorous expert in their field can discourage many job seekers from applying.
Vague star titles can be an indication that a company doesn’t know what they’re looking for. “For most job ads, if the ad can’t get it across in 5-7 easy-to-understand sentences, they don’t know what they’re looking for,” said Wagadia.
Even with these buzzwords, there’s a difference between employing them with some clarification needed, and employing them in an advertisement with the reader completely disoriented. Imagine how much confusion you will have to face once you start a role, to be successful in this particular role.”
