Applying
Is this job right for you? Read the ad, match it to your CV, decide
Applying everywhere wastes your time; applying only to perfect matches means missing good roles. In between there is a simple method: read the job ad like a recruiter, match it to your background point by point, then make an informed decision.
Why spend five minutes before applying?
A good application takes work: a tailored CV, a cover letter or answers written for this role, sometimes a long online form. That time is better spent on jobs where you have a real chance, and that you would actually want if they offered them to you.
Reading the ad carefully also pays off later: the requirements you spot now are the ones your CV needs to show, and the ones the interviewer will test. For a first reading, our free CV and job ad comparison tool lists what the ad asks for and what your CV already shows.
1. Separate the essentials from the nice-to-haves
A job ad almost always mixes real requirements with a wish list. The wording usually tells you which is which. UK ads often split them into a person specification with “essential” and “desirable” columns; US ads tend to say “required” and “preferred”.
| Wording in the ad | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| “Essential”, “must have”, “mandatory” | A firm requirement: without it, your application is unlikely to go through. |
| “Required”, “you have”, “you will bring” | A strong expectation, but often flexible if the rest of your profile is convincing. |
| “Desirable”, “preferred”, “a plus”, “nice to have” | An advantage: it separates candidates, it doesn’t rule anyone out. |
| Degree “or equivalent experience” | Experience can replace the degree: say so clearly. |
| Licence, certification, security clearance, right to work | Often a legal or insurance requirement: rarely negotiable. |
Read the responsibilities too: they describe what you will actually do. A requirement that serves none of the listed duties is often a leftover from an old ad; a duty mentioned three times is the heart of the job.
2. Match the ad to your background, point by point
Take each requirement and give it one of three states, with evidence from your own background:
- Met: you can point to a role, project, qualification or achievement that shows it.
- Partly met: you have done it, but for less time, in a different context or with a similar tool.
- Missing: you haven’t done it, and nothing in your background comes close.
Brand social media, 3+ years — Met: 5 years at Fictivia, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. Email campaigns — Met: monthly newsletters, 12,000 subscribers. Fluent Spanish — Partly met: B2, written exchanges with a subsidiary. Paid media budget management — Partly met: tracked spend, didn’t set budgets. Web analytics tool — Missing. Full driving licence — Met.
A partly met point isn’t a failure: it is often a skill your CV doesn’t show well enough. If you really used it, write it into the relevant role, with what you did. The XYZ formula helps you phrase it with a result.
3. Should you apply if you don’t meet every requirement?
Often, yes. A job ad describes an ideal candidate, rarely the person who ends up hired. If you meet the firm requirements and most other points are met or partly met, your application makes sense.
- Apply when the core of the job (the main responsibilities) matches what you have already done, even if some nice-to-haves are missing.
- Apply and address it when an important point is only partly met: one line in your cover letter or answer explaining how you came close beats saying nothing.
- Skip it when a firm requirement is missing (licence, certification, right to work) or when the core of the job is work you have never done.
Never fill a gap by writing something you haven’t done: the interviewer will check, and a CV that falls apart at the first question costs more than an application you never sent.
4. Check the terms: pay, location, contract
A job that fits your profile may still not fit your life. Before applying, look for:
- Pay: a range, a minimum, or just “competitive” or “DOE” (depending on experience). In the European Union, new pay transparency rules say employers must give the starting salary or its range, in the ad or before the interview, and may no longer ask about your pay history; details depend on each country’s law. Elsewhere, rules vary.
- Location and pattern: on-site, hybrid (how many days?), remote, travel, shifts.
- Contract: permanent, fixed-term (how long?), temporary, contract or freelance; full-time or part-time.
- Posting date: an old or repeatedly reposted ad isn’t necessarily filled, but reaching out through another channel can help.
What isn’t written can be asked, politely, at the first contact. Don’t guess it in your answers: a made-up salary expectation or start date commits you.
5. Spot fake job offers
Some ads lead to no job at all: these job scams are after your money or your personal details. Consumer protection agencies such as the US Federal Trade Commission (see the sources below) warn about the same patterns:
- Being asked to pay for a starter kit, training, a certification or a “guaranteed” job.
- A cheque to deposit, keep part of and send the rest back: it will bounce, and you will owe the bank.
- Big earnings for little work, or “be your own boss” promises.
- Reshipping parcels from home, or reselling goods you must buy first.
- A placement firm that wants an upfront fee (legitimate ones are usually paid by the employer).
A real employer never makes you pay to work. If in doubt, search the company’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint”, look for the job on its official website and contact it through its public details, not those in the message.
Decide: apply, adapt or move on
Once you have compared, the decision comes down to three cases:
- The firm requirements and the core of the job are met: apply, with a CV tailored to the job.
- Important points are only partly met: apply if you can show them honestly, putting them forward in your CV and your cover letter.
- A firm requirement is missing, or the terms don’t suit you: move on, and save your energy for the next one.
Keep a note of the jobs you turn down and why: over the weeks, the same gaps often come back. Those are the ones worth a course, a side project or another line on your CV.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to meet 100% of the requirements to apply?
No. A job ad describes an ideal candidate. If you meet the firm requirements (licence, certification, right to work) and have already done most of the core duties, apply, and be honest about the points you only partly meet.
How can I tell if a requirement is really essential?
Look at the wording (“essential”, “must have” versus “desirable”, “a plus”) and whether the requirement serves a listed duty. Legal requirements, such as a licence for a regulated profession, are not negotiable.
What if the job ad doesn’t mention pay?
Ask for the range at the first contact. In the European Union, new pay transparency rules say employers must share it before the interview; details depend on each country. Elsewhere, asking early and politely is common practice.
Is a match score enough to decide?
It’s a starting point. It tells you what your CV shows against the ad; you still judge the terms (pay, location, contract) and whether you want the job. A “missing” point can also flag a skill you have but your CV doesn’t show yet.