| The medium used to advertise a job can tell you a lot | | | | nobody above with the kind of knowledge required to |
| about the job being offered. If an advertisement is in a | | | | recruit that person. |
| national paper then it usually means that the employer | | | | Good advertisements are not only the right size but |
| has decided that they will spend more money in order | | | | are also the right shape too. They have usually been |
| to cast their net wider, i.e., nationally instead of locally. | | | | professionally designed to attract the reader to the |
| Some companies use agencies. This means that they | | | | text, demonstrating careful planning and thought. Not all |
| have chosen to have the screening done by another | | | | organizations can afford this approach. Look for simple |
| party. In this case, it will be your job to convince the | | | | indicators too, i.e., is the advertisement boxed? Lineage |
| agency that they should introduce you to the | | | | advertisements in local papers may tell you that the |
| company. Sometimes, the agency carries out initial | | | | company is small and unsophisticated in terms of |
| interviews and only submits the short list to their client. | | | | recruitment. Look at how accurately the job is |
| You may want to consider making your application | | | | described - beware of those sounding too good to be |
| more general if the agency handles many jobs in the | | | | true, few jobs live up to this. |
| industry in which you work. | | | | The above are key things to look out for when |
| Think about the reasons why the organizations use | | | | reading a job advertisement. Remember, read the |
| agencies. Do they want specialists for whom that | | | | advertisement carefully; concentrate on each aspect |
| agency is known? Do they not have much expertise in | | | | building up a picture as you go. If you are in any doubt, |
| that area themselves? | | | | contact the company advertising the job and request |
| This can be true when companies are seeking | | | | further information. |
| personnel at the top of a department, where there is | | | | |