Job search

Stage 1 · Lesson 3 of 7

Reading real job descriptions

Know your target

Real job postings tell you what employers want far better than advice threads do. So start by as data. Collect about 20 current postings for your and level.

Count how often each skill, tool and responsibility comes up. Separate the ones that appear in most postings from the ones that appear only once. Also notice which items are marked "required" and which are "nice to have".

The ten skills that appear most often become two things: the keyword list for your resume and your study plan.

Common trapreading only the postings of famous companies, which often ask for more than typical roles, or treating every listed requirement as a must; many people are hired while meeting most of the list, not all of it.

A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 1 cheat sheet entry come with the full roadmap. Unlock

Resources for this stage

Keep handy

  • Pay by company, level and city, plus level mappings to compare titles across employers

  • Salary ranges and interview reports for local companies that levels.fyi does not cover

Also worth your time

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