Seven questions to ask yourself before applying for a job

Scrolling through job boards and opening up dozens of tabs is one thing. Taking the plunge and actually sending a job application is another.

Applications take time and effort, especially when they're done well. The best job applications show evidence of research, awareness of the wider industry and thoughtfulness about how you fit the role requirements.

That means one of the most important parts of job searching is deciding whether to apply for a specific role. Being smart about which jobs you apply for saves you precious time and improves your chances of getting hired.

In this article, we'll share the seven questions you should ask yourself before getting stuck into a job application:

1. Do I meet the role requirements?
2. Does this job meet my requirements?
3. Does this job align with my career goals?
4. Would this job help me develop professionally?
5. Would I find this job engaging day-to-day?
6. Does the company align with my values?
7. If I were offered the job, would I accept it?

Filtering out jobs by role requirements seems like a simple place to start. If you're not qualified, you shouldn't apply. Right?

Well, it depends. We often get asked, "Should I apply for the job without having all the required experience?"

Most job posts have a list of attributes that the hiring manager is looking for. However, only some of these qualities will be dealbreakers. Other skills or desired experiences listed might be more 'nice-to-have'. That means you can apply for jobs even when you don't meet 100% of the criteria. Confusing, we know.

A follow-up question we often get is what percentage of requirements you need to meet. If you've got 70% of the skills and experience listed in the job post, then can you apply? Again, it's not quite so simple.

Whether you should apply for a job isn't about the percentage of requirements you meet. It's about making sure you meet the most essential criteria.

If you meet the 'must-haves' listed in the job description, then you can send an application even if you don’t have all the extras.

Often, the language used in the job post can give you a good idea of which requirements you need to meet, and which ones you can make up for with other skills and experience.

Here are some phrases that we'd class as essential. If the job description asks for experience in these terms, you will need to meet the criteria in order to apply.

• 'Must' or 'must not' eg "To apply, you must be due to complete your degree in 2026,"
• 'Minimum' or 'Maximum' eg "You will have a minimum of two years of experience working in a similar role,"
• 'Need to have' eg "Candidates need to have a degree prediction of 2:1 or higher"
• 'Expertise' eg "You should have expertise in..."

We also have a list of phrases that might mean certain attributes are less essential. With these, you can apply even if you don't have 100% of the skills or experience listed.

• 'Ideal' or 'ideally' eg "The ideal candidate will know..."
• 'Additional' eg "Additional skills that would be beneficial to the role include"
• 'Desired' or 'desirable' eg "Experience in sales is desirable"
• 'Is a plus' eg "Social media proficiency is a plus"

You'll also notice words like 'ability', 'proficiency' and 'aptitude' in job descriptions. When it comes to these skills, you'll need to determine whether each one seems essential to the role on a case-by-case basis.

Before you eagerly start your job application, make sure you're in a position to apply for the job from a practical standpoint. You can also think about whether the job fulfils your wishlist of nice-to-have elements, like benefits or bonuses.

Here are some key aspects to consider – both essential and non-essential:

• Salary. Does the job pay enough for your level of experience? Is the salary competitive within the industry?
• Location. Will you need to move to take the job? Do you have the time and resources to move if so?
• Commute. Is the office a commutable distance for you? Do you have access to the transport you need?
• Startdate. If you're working somewhere else, you might have a notice period. Does the expected start date align with when you're available?
• Working hours. Do the times of day and amount of hours align with what you need? If you're a parent or a carer, consider how the job can fit around these commitments.
• Adjustments. Can the company accommodate your disability or long-term health condition well enough? Does the employer have a track record for championing disability inclusion?
• Flexible work arrangements. Many companies now offer hybrid working models or are even fully work-from-home. What kind of work situation would you want?
• Equipment. Let's say the job is remote – does the company provide you with an office chair, monitor and headset so you can work comfortably from home?
• Benefits. Is it important to you to have benefits like private health insurance or performance-based bonuses?

This is an important question to consider. We know that when you're job-hunting full-time, it's easy to feel panicky or desperate and send applications to every job you come across. However, if you're a little more selective towards roles that align with career goals, there's a much better chance that you'll enjoy the role when you're in it.

A strong job choice is one you don't want to leave after as little as a year. Job searching can feel like a short-term need, but try to focus on your long-term career, too.

If you're not sure what your career goals are yet, that's also totally fine! You might benefit from applying to a variety of jobs and getting to know different kinds of roles and companies through the application processes. You may also want to think more about whether you can see yourself enjoying the role day-to-day.

Think about whether the job involves tasks, projects and situations that will push you out of your comfort zone. Feeling challenged is important for developing new skills and progressing as a professional.

You might also want to look into progression opportunities at the company. What’s the promotion cycle like? Do people tend to stay at the company as they progress into more senior roles? If so, this is a good sign that there will be room for you to grow.

When you read through the job description, can you see yourself finding the role engaging day-to-day? You know yourself better than anyone, so only you can make the call.

A good way to think about what you want from a role is to try to imagine how much contact you’d like to have with colleagues every day. Do you want to go from meeting to meeting, communicating and working with others? Or would you prefer to get your head down on independent focused tasks? Consider your working style and how this might align with the role described in the job post.

Finding a cultural fit with your employer is more important than you might think. Whether you resonate with your employer’s wider purpose or you agree with their core values, you’ll find it easier to stay motivated when you know you're on the same page as your employer.

Most companies have pages on their websites dedicated to factors like Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, sustainability, working culture or core values. Looking at these pages can give you a good idea of the company's unique characteristics and whether you'd be a good fit for it.

This final question is a way of collecting all the considerations above into one simple yes or no answer.

If you received a job offer from the role you’re looking at, would you feel excited to accept it? If you don’t think you’d accept it, it's a sign that you may as well save yourself the time of applying for it.

It's easy to feel pressure to apply to jobs you don't really want, just so you can maximise your chances of getting hired. However, it's actually pretty rare to get a job offer for a role you don't want. Employers value passion for the company and the role as the number-one factor they look for in applicants, according to our 2024 Annual Research Report. That means they'll be able to tell throughout the application and interview process if your heart isn't in it.

So, applying to jobs you don't want might not help your chances much, anyway. You're better off focusing your time and energy on the roles that excite you, so the applications you submit are as strong as possible.

Best of luck with your job search!