Last week while coaching one of my middle management clients, I came across the recurring issue of job seekers believing job descriptions word to word and not seeing the need of questioning hiring managers about the role in further detail. From experience, it is always better to get a deeper understanding of the role early on in an interview so that you can customize your answers based on the needs of the job and highlight the skills that are required more than the ones that are supplementary.

My client was concerned that by asking “Can you tell me more about the role?” he would give the impression that he has not done enough research before the interview. Over the years as a recruiter, I have seen time and again candidates basing their interest in a job solely by the job description and not gaining enough information about the role from hiring manager.

If you are in the dilemma about probing about your future job then just ask yourself one question –
“Do you think it is justified for hiring managers to conduct interview and not hire you based only on the CV?”

This is the flipside of the coin. If you believe that job descriptions explain everything about the role, then CVs explain about the job seeker in as much detail. Interview is more of a dialogue for both parties to understand if there is a fit for them to work together and gain insights about details which cannot be explained in one or two page document.

Job advertisements by recruiters are not actual job descriptions
For the case in point, my client was going by the recruiter job advertisement he had applied to. However, most recruiters do not use the actual job description in their advertisement. Good recruiters paraphrase requirements of the role, others may just use an older advertisement they wrote for a similar role. It is always better to clarify with your recruiter if they have the actual job description. In case they don’t have one, ask them questions to get an understanding of the role and definitely ask the hiring manager questions about the role.

Job descriptions might not be relevant
You will be shocked to know how many times job descriptions created in the past are re-used without any review catering to changes in the organization and role. Whether it is a case of an urgent hire or lack of resources, old job descriptions are used to give a brief outline of the role with the hope that the candidate will ask questions to get a better understanding.

Job descriptions can sometimes be bizarre
Ever come across a job description which requires you to have 5 years of experience in using a technology which was launched only a year back? You are not the only one who doesn’t match that requirement, so don’t miss out on an opportunity due to misrepresentation.
You might have definitely come across a job description full of the company’s internal jargon and terms which make absolutely no sense to you? You are not ignorant about your field, you just haven’t worked in the particular company yet.

Job descriptions don’t reveal the full picture
While job descriptions can give you a brief outline about the role, they miss out on revealing important details about the team, challenges, growth and expectations. To be able to make informed decision about your career, it is important to get enough information before taking on a position.

Always have a list of questions to ask the interviewer and try to get a better understanding of the role in the beginning of the interview. Job descriptions are just brief outlines and should never be accepted as complete truth about a role.

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JobS-ME is a training, coaching and consulting company helping professionals get their next ideal job fast. True to its name, JobS-ME was launched to make job search easy and effective.

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