You’ve probably read through a lot of job listings throughout your career, so you are well aware of the meanings of words and phrases like “job responsibilities,” “must-haves,” and “nice-to-haves.” It is by no means where the list ends, though, because there are so many keywords and phrases in job listings that can serve as clues to company culture and the realities of the position if you know what you’re looking for.
In a typical job posting, you’ll probably see a few words pop out repeatedly that emphasize the types of specific skills they’re looking for in a candidate. These are the buzzwords that you’ll want to be sure to include in your resume and application because they are what the talent management system is going to search for.
While important in their way, these are not the buzzwords you should assess to get a feel for the company’s culture. For this, you’ll want to keep an eye on the descriptive words they use for both their ideal candidate and the job itself.
There are some job listings that you can glance over once and immediately know what kind of culture it is, like the ones that use a lot of “cool” language and exclamation points, probably one hoping to attract young talent looking for a “fun” work environment. Then there are those with very technical language that makes absolute sense if you know the industry but read like a foreign language to someone who doesn't. You don’t have to do much work here to figure out what you’d be getting yourself.
The bulk of job listings fall somewhere between these two, though. They are written with a more neutral tone and are easy to follow whether you have an understanding of the job or industry or not. It is where you want to pay close attention to the buzzwords they choose because they can be very telling.
Why is this important?
As parents with kids living at home, our priorities are significantly different from those whose children have moved out or people without kids and partners. These parents are better positioned to end up in a job with irregular hours and frequent mandatory social events than you probably are. So, if they miss the signs during the recruitment process, it’s easier for them to stick it out for a while until they find something new than it would be for you.
Many factors go into accepting a job offer for parents, like weighing benefits based on family needs and salary negotiations to ensure certain expenses are covered. There are only so many organizations that can check off all the must-have boxes, and you don’t want to miss out on one because you overlooked an important buzzword or phrase.
If the words/phrases aren’t making it glaringly obvious that the culture is toxic, but they still make you pause, don’t skip applying because they may not entirely reflect the company. For instance, maybe it’s a great company, but the recruiter used a general job listing template to create the post without putting much thought into the language. Apply to the job, make a note of what is standing out to you, and then use your interview(s) as an opportunity to ask probing questions. In the end, if the interviewer won’t give you a straight answer, then that’s not a great sign. But, if instead they provide an answer and put your mind at ease, then you can put less weight onto those buzzwords.
Of course, these buzzword meanings are not difficult and fast rules so, always remember to do your due diligence when applying to an organization. Look up employee and client reviews, poke around their website and, if possible, speak to someone who currently works there to get a clearer picture of the organization’s culture.
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