How to read a job advert before you apply

What each part of an advert tells you, which requirements are firm, and how to decide whether to apply.

Read it twice

Many applications fail before anyone reads them, because the applicant missed something the advert asked for. Read the whole advert once to understand the job. Then read it again slowly with a pen or a notes app open, and write down three things: what the job involves, what the employer requires, and exactly how to apply.

Doing this takes ten minutes. It saves you from sending an application that is set aside because the subject line was wrong, a document was missing, or the deadline had already passed.

The job title is only a start

The same title can mean very different work at different employers. An "Officer" at one organisation may lead a team, while at another it is an entry-level role. A "Sales Executive" may sell in a shop, on the road or by phone.

Look past the title to the duties and the level of experience asked for. If the advert gives a grade, a reporting line ("reports to the Finance Manager") or the number of people you would supervise, these tell you more about the level of the job than the title does.

Duties: picture a normal week

The list of duties describes what you would actually do. Read each line and ask yourself whether you have done it, or something close to it. Mark the ones you can show with an example, because those are what you will write about in your application letter and talk about in an interview.

If most of the duties are new to you, the job may be a step too far for now. If you have done most of them, even under a different job title, you are probably a good candidate.

Requirements: firm and flexible

Requirements come in two kinds, and adverts usually tell you which is which through their wording.

Firm requirements use words such as "must", "minimum", "at least" and "mandatory". A required degree, a professional registration or a driving licence usually falls here. If you don't meet a firm requirement, your application is unlikely to go further.
Flexible requirements use words such as "preferred", "an added advantage", "desirable" or "would be an advantage". You can apply without them.

Years of experience sit somewhere in between. If an advert asks for three years and you have two and a half of strong, relevant experience, it can be worth applying. If it asks for five and you have one, it usually isn't.

Pay attention to the field of study too. "A degree in Accounting, Finance or a related field" is open to more people than "a degree in Accounting". On Kaziplat, each job's page shows the education, field and experience its advert asks for, and how your CV compares.

How to apply: follow it exactly

The "how to apply" part is the most important part of the advert to get right. Note:

Where to send it: an email address, an online form, a postal address or a portal. Use only the one the advert gives.
What to send: a letter, a CV, copies of certificates, a national ID, referees' details. Send everything asked for and nothing that wasn't, unless it clearly helps.
The format: many employers ask for one PDF file, or a file size under a certain limit.
The subject line or reference number: if the advert says to write "Application for Accountant – Ref 12/2025" in the subject, write exactly that.
The deadline: the date and sometimes a time. Aim to apply several days before it.

An employer who receives hundreds of applications uses these instructions to sort them. An application that ignores them is easy to set aside.

Location, contract and other details

Check where the job is based and whether it involves travel. A job in another region may mean moving, and some adverts say that only people already living in an area should apply.

Look for the type of contract: permanent, fixed-term, part-time or a short project. If the advert mentions a probation period, the salary or benefits, note them, but don't worry if it doesn't. Many employers discuss pay later in the process.

Warning signs

A real employer does not ask you to pay to apply, to be interviewed or to be given a job. Be careful with adverts that have no employer name, promise very high pay for little work, give only a mobile number, or push you to act today. Our guide on spotting fake job adverts explains these signs in more detail.

Decide, then apply well

Once you have read the advert carefully, the decision is usually clear. Apply if you meet the firm requirements and can show examples for most of the duties. Skip it if you are missing a firm requirement.

It is better to send five careful applications that fit you than twenty quick ones that don't. Each careful application uses the advert's own words, answers what it asks for, and arrives on time in the format requested.

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