Why Job Postings Are Misleading (and How to Read Them Anyway)

Job postings are marketing documents. They're written to attract candidates - often by committees, often using templates, often to describe what the ideal candidate looks like rather than what the job is actually like. Taking a job posting at face value is like choosing a restaurant based on the photos on their menu.

That doesn't mean job postings are useless. It means you need to read them critically.

Most requirements lists include a mix of genuine requirements, nice-to-haves that got labeled as requirements, and aspirational items that describe what someone imagined the ideal hire would have. The list that says '5+ years of experience required' is often written by someone who knows the company will be happy with three years if the candidate is strong.

A commonly cited statistic: men apply for jobs when they meet 60% of the qualifications, while women tend to apply only when they meet 100%. If you have 70-80% of what the job description asks for and it's genuinely a stretch for you, apply anyway. The worst outcome is no response.

The words used in job descriptions carry meaning. 'Fast-paced environment' often means chaotic or understaffed. 'Wear many hats' often means the role is poorly defined and you'll be asked to do things outside your scope. 'Competitive salary' is meaningless without a number. 'Must thrive under pressure' is a signal to think carefully about the workload.

Strong job descriptions name specific tools, projects, or deliverables. 'Build and maintain our data pipelines in dbt and Snowflake' tells you something real. 'Work cross-functionally with various stakeholders' tells you almost nothing.

Look up the person who had the role previously on LinkedIn. What did they actually do? Where did they go next? That trajectory is more informative than the job description.

Read the company's Glassdoor reviews, filtering for the specific team or department if you can. Look at what people say about management, pace, and culture. Search for the company name on LinkedIn and see who's posted recently - are people sharing content about interesting work, or is there silence?

And ask in the interview: 'Can you walk me through what a typical week looks like in this role?' The answer tells you what the job actually is.