Subject file WORLD of WORK: Employability _ Reading Job Adverts

Reading job adverts is a crucial, strategic step in a successful job search, going far beyond simply seeing if a job is open. A thorough analysis of an advert allows you to customize your application, prepare for interviews, and determine if the role and company are a good fit for you.

Ex. 1: Study the job advert for a teacher of history below and consider the following questions while looking at it. Then compare your findings with the KEY.

• What job is advertised?
• What are the overall responsibilities?
• What are the daily duties and routines?
• What is offered by the employer?
• What perks and incentives are offered?
• What hard and soft skills are required?
• What additional qualifications and experience are required?

KEY: 

The vacancy advertised in this job ad is that of a teacher of history. 

Overall responsibilities comprise teaching history and cover supervision.

Daily duties are: teaching history across all stages, teaching cover lessons, arranging the cover timetable for absent staff, and deploying and managing cover staff;

The employer, a school, offers a permanent position and a teacher's salary according to the salary scale for teachers in Inner London.

Additional perks are not mentioned, but the incentives include working for a successful school and becoming a member of a strong team. 

In terms of hard skills, qualifications, and experience, the school requires the qualifications for teaching history (usually a university degree) and a lot of teaching experience. 

Regarding soft skills, the school expects the applicant to be skilled and a good teacher with a lot of enthusiasm, prepared to work in teams, and the dedication to promote the school's future success. 

Ex. 2: Learn more about job adverts by completing the online exercises. 

British Council Learn English: Job Adverts