Question 1

How do you write a useful job advert?

Accepted Answer

By describing the **job and the conditions honestly**, and by removing the barriers that quietly exclude good candidates — most job adverts fail at both, which is why they attract the wrong applicants and repel the right ones.

**Include the salary.** This is the highest-impact change available. Adverts without a salary attract fewer and worse-matched applicants, waste everyone's time through late-stage mismatches, and **entrench pay gaps**, because outcomes then depend on who negotiates hardest. Several jurisdictions now require pay ranges by law. "Competitive" tells a candidate nothing except that you would rather not say.

**Separate essential from desirable — ruthlessly.** Long requirement lists are a documented filter with a bias: research consistently finds that under-represented candidates are more likely to self-select out when they do not meet every criterion, while others apply anyway. **Every item you add costs you applicants you would have wanted.** If a requirement has never been the reason someone failed, it is not essential.

**Describe the actual work.** What will this person do in a typical week, what problems will they solve, who will they work with, what does success look like in six months. Candidates cannot assess fit from a list of responsibilities written as verbs.

**State the conditions plainly** — location and what hybrid actually means in days, hours, shift patterns, travel, the contract type and its duration.

**Describe the process** — how many stages, what each involves, rough timescale, and who they will meet. This is cheap, rare and disproportionately appreciated.

**Write in plain language.** Jargon, internal acronyms and inflated titles obscure what the job is. A title nobody searches for will not be found.

**What to cut:** "rockstar", "ninja" and "family"; unexplained years-of-experience thresholds, which are weak proxies and can be age-discriminatory; boilerplate about being dynamic and fast-paced; and degree requirements for roles that do not need one, which exclude capable applicants for no measured benefit.

**Say how to ask questions**, and name a real person.

Question 2

Why don't job adverts list the salary?

Accepted Answer

Because withholding it has historically favoured the employer in negotiation, and until recently almost nothing compelled them to publish it. The reasons employers give: Flexibility. They want to pay

Question 3

Why do job adverts list requirements nobody could meet?

Accepted Answer

Because job adverts are usually written as a wish list, not a specification — and understanding that changes how you should respond to them. Why they end up that way: They are assembled, not

Question 4

How to optimize LinkedIn for job search?

Accepted Answer

Optimizing your LinkedIn for job search involves completing your profile, crafting a strong headline, showcasing skills, and networking strategically. These steps enhance visibility and attractiveness to employers.

Question 5

How can I make my resume stand out to employers?

Accepted Answer

To make a resume stand out, tailor it to each job, highlight achievements, use a clean layout, include relevant skills, add a summary statement, and proofread for errors.

Question 6

How do I negotiate a salary offer?

Accepted Answer

The central fact is that an initial offer is frequently not the maximum, and that asking is normal and expected in most professional contexts. Employers who would withdraw an offer over a polite,

Question 7

What is the difference between a job description and a person specification?

Accepted Answer

The job description describes the role; the person specification describes the person who could do it. They answer different questions, and reading them as one document is why applications miss the

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