The 15-Second Job Description

According to a 2007 survey conducted by The Conference Board*, 73 percent of workers reported using the internet explore and hunt down their next job opportunity compared to 66 percent of job seekers in the same time period in 2005. I’d be willing to bet that percentage is even higher for job seekers in the technology sector.

The competitive landscape for top technology talent is increasing even during these uncertain economic times. Tech-savvy job seekers have an advantage over others because they actually know how to query and run Boolean searches to narrow down their search. However, there is one BIG problem, Useless Job Descriptions. Take the following excerpt pulled from a company website (names have been changed to protect the innocent):

XYZ, Inc. seeking top talent to work at our corporate headquarters in South
Moon. Candidate must be willing to work within a diverse and complex
environment. Must have industry experience. Candidate must be a team
player and also work independently. Strong verbal and written
communication skills. Four year degree required. Create and maintain a
culture of "testing" with a “can do” attitude. Foster an environment of high
accountability and customer focus. Blah, Blah, Blah.

Somewhere buried in the job description, usually toward the middle to the bottom, there are 2 or 3 lines stating something close to what the position actually will require. I can only wonder how many qualified candidates pass up the opportunity because the specific details and expectations of the position are vague. Is it any wonder why the number of candidates that respond to a job posting don’t even come close? No wonder job seekers take up unnecessary space on their resumes to include “Team player, work independently” etc... It is a vicious cycle, can it be stopped?

Why not try a different approach? How about stating exactly what will define success? What are the deliverables? What is the specific technical expertise required? What is the strategic direction of the corporation? How will this role contribute to the company goals?

If you can answer these questions, does it really matter if the person has media experience or not? Will you pass up a resume that does not have “team player”? I read somewhere that hiring manager’s glance at a resume for less than 30 seconds. I am willing to bet job seekers give about half that when reading a job description.

*(The Conference Board is the world’s leading business membership and research organization. The Conference Board produces The Consumer Confidence Index and the Leading Economic Indicators for the U.S. and other major nations)