How to read a job advert: essential, desirable and the rest
Before you change your CV, read the advert properly. It tells you what the reader will look for, if you know where to look.
The parts of a typical advert
- About us: useful for your statement and the interview, rarely for your CV.
- The role or duties: what you'll do day to day. Your CV should show similar work.
- Essential or "you will have": the must-haves. These matter most.
- Desirable or "bonus": nice-to-haves. Helpful, but not deal-breakers.
- Practical details: hours, shifts, location, checks (such as a DBS check), licences and right to work.
Finding the real must-haves
Not every advert has a tidy essential list. Signs that something is a must-have:
- Words like "must", "essential", "required", "you will have" or "you need".
- Anything the advert mentions more than once.
- Legal or safety requirements: registrations, licences, checks, certain qualifications.
- The first few items in a list, which are often the most important to whoever wrote it.
Words like "ideally", "desirable", "a plus" or "nice to have" usually mark the extras.
Reading between the lines
Duties often hint at skills the advert doesn't list. "Liaising with families" suggests communication and tact. "Working to tight deadlines" suggests prioritising. If you have evidence for those, use it, but put the listed must-haves first.
Watch for the level of the job, too. "Lead", "own", "manage" and "senior" ask for different evidence from "support", "assist" and "help".
Turn it into a checklist
Write each requirement as a short line, then mark it must-have or nice-to-have. That's your checklist for matching your CV to the job description. SmashTheJob does this step for you: paste the advert and it lists the requirements, marked by importance, before it reads your CV.
Should you apply if you don't meet everything?
Often, yes. Adverts are frequently wish lists, especially the desirable section. If you meet most of the must-haves and can show you'd learn the rest, it's usually worth applying. Missing a legal requirement (a licence or registration the job needs) is different. Our guide on missing a requirement has more.
Questions
What if the advert has no essential list?
Use the duties and any repeated words. The first few duties and anything mentioned twice are a good guess at what matters most.
Are job adverts and job descriptions the same?
Not quite. The advert is the summary on a job site. The job description, often a separate document, is fuller. If there is one, read it: it usually has the full essential and desirable lists.