The last job I had was my internship with ATI last summer working in their continuous improvement team. In this instance the job description actually had very little effect over my decision to apply for the job as I had already heard positive feedback from previous interns and was set on applying to get a similar experience. The experience needed for this internship was very basic (Microsoft Office, High School Qualifications and Adobe Acrobat) as they were appealing to college students who yet had obtained their respective degrees. I had all of these qualifications already so was equipped for a smooth transition into the role upon my start date. Job descriptions as a whole I never fully understand and interpret what it will look like as an actual piece of work on a day to day basis. From my own experience they are often times jam packed with so much information and complex (company specific) jargon that it is difficult to interpret exactly what your job responsibilities are. Instead of focussing on the job descriptions I pay more attention to the company itself and qualification section which so far has given me enough information to know if I could be suitable for a position. I have found looking back over my job description now from my internship that the job description did in fact align pretty well with the role itself even if I had no understanding of my position prior to understanding. Interpretation versus actually completing the work in the job description are two very different things. By having an open mind and a willingness to learn I think aided me in the job process as it allowed me to learn aspects of the job description that I otherwise would have not known.
That is great that you already had a positive view of the company and of the internship! Having somebody on the inside or somebody that has been through the same experience is helpful in cutting through the noise of the job description. A lot of times as a college student looking for a job, I want a short and to the point job description. This is because I have not been in the field and do not understand what all of the aspects of the job mean. As we advance in our careers I believe we will appreciate the length and detail of job descriptions, especially if we have nobody inside the company to provide guidance or share their experiences.
I think it’s great that you were looking at the qualifications section of the job description. To me, this is the most important area to look at. I think this is where you will get what you absolutely need to know to be successful. I remember when I was applying for accounting internships, I had to actual accounting background past intro level classes and one intermediate class. I felt like there was no way I would be able to do an internship with little knowledge on the subject. But looking at the qualifications, I was a perfect fit. I think a lot of jobs can be learned on the job, as long as you possess the qualifications needed. There is a base understanding that can be built upon to be successful. I think it’s great that you kept an open mind and have a positive view of the company.
Abigail, I really like your perspective of worrying less about the job description and more about the company itself. It can be very disappointing to get into a job that seems great, but ends up being with a company whose culture does not match up with your ideals. It is often times easier to enjoy doing a job with colleagues who are positive and helpful even if the job seems less appealing.