Working Start > Application > Job Advertisement

The Placing and Reading of Job Advertisements

Definition, Explanation

In order to fill open positions, companies place job advertisements. Job seekers are adressed via the media of newspapers (regional and cross-regional), (professional) magazines, job exchange websites and the companies' own websites.

Structure of a job advert:

• Description of the advertising company
• Description of the job to be filled
• Description of the demanded competences and prerequisites of an applicant
• Description of the company's services
• Further proceeding: Application by post, by application form, ways of contacting
• Additional information: Contact person, box number

From a box number one can not see which company it is that is filling a position. Therefore, if you are already employed and want to change, you should definitely use the option of delivering restrictions, and specify on the envelope who the application must not be forwarded to at all events.

Tips, Checklist

• Classically, job adverts are printed on Wednesdays and Saturdays, in the newspapers
• Focus your search on job adverts for your profession and on such that are in question for you. Pay attention to the respective job descriptions which, even in German ads, are sometimes written in English
• Multiple job adverts announce several jobs in the same company. Here, apply to one single job out of the ones offered
• Continuously evaluate the job adverts
• Read through any interesting job advert several times and thoroughly
• Check in how far you meet the requirements. You can include results of your personality test
• In your application letter, make reference to the job advert, not only in the subject heading. Show what strengths of yours qualify you, especially, for the job
• Use the chance of getting more information if they specify a phone number. Prepare well for the talk, for it is the first impression you will give, to the company
• When applying by post, make reference to any additional information from phone calls you have had
• Write your application in line with the style of the job advert. Banks phrase their adverts differently than do construction companies or software forges
• If there are any requirements that you are not fulfilling, show that you are fast in acquiring new skills and that you are willing to do so
• It will usually not lead anywhere to apply for jobs for which one is over- or underqualified
• Show by your interests, experience, CV, that you have the required soft skills
• Among the described qualifications in the job advert, distinguish between those that are a must (called “vorausgesetzt”, “erforderlich”) and those that are optional (e.g. “wünschenswert”, “idealerweise”)
• Look through the company's website: Often, you will find more information to the advertised job, or about the company, the products, the clients. Get an idea in how far the company might be suitable for you. Note down any questions that come to your mind. They can be asked during a talk before the actual application is done
• By all means, note down the specified contact address. This contact (person) is who you should send your application letter to, and who you should address (personally) in your letter
• Collect interesting job adverts
• When filing your application letters, add the job advert responded to
• Highlight important information, or the must-criteria of the job advert, and elaborate on them in your application letter or in the CV in more detail
• From the size of the advert, you can often conclude the size and financial power of the company. Especially the size of a company affects the working atmosphere and the career chances. The advert design directly suggests a certain company culture: creative or rather strict/correct?
• Use information from the job adverts and from the web for applying unsolicitedly
• Talk about their specified date of working start, in your application letter
• In case of box number adverts, look out whether it is a real reputable job advert or they require you to participate in expensive education or to acquire working material for money

Last update: 03/16/2010