What a job ad is really asking for
You read the job ad and go straight to the list. Degree in accounting, one or two years of experience, knowledge of Xero, strong Excel. You tick off what you have, notice what you do not, and if the gaps feel too big, you close the tab. That is how most students read a job ad, as a checklist of things they either have or they do not.
The checklist is the part the employer cares about least, though. It is easy to write and easy to screen against. The thing they are really trying to work out is what kind of person you are, and that is hidden in the words around the list, the bit almost everyone skims straight past.
This is the first of three ways I teach my students to read a job ad. It is worth getting good at on its own before worrying about the other two.
The ad is describing a person, not just a job
Open any graduate ad on SEEK right now and the same handful of phrases turn up again and again. Things like “eager to learn”, “fast-paced team”, “supportive environment”, “strong mentorship”, “genuine career progression”. None of that is about the accounting or the engineering or the code. It is describing the kind of person who does well there and, quietly, the kind who does not.
Every one of those phrases is a small clue about who they are picturing in the role. Once you start reading them that way, the ad tells you things the requirements list never could.
What the words around the list are telling you
Take a few of the common ones.
When an ad says “fast-paced”, it is telling you the place is busy and the work will land on you before you feel ready for it. They want someone who can keep moving without being walked through every step. If you tend to go quiet when you are unsure and wait to be told what to do next, that word is a heads-up about what the job will feel like. If you are someone who asks one good question and then gets on with it, they are describing you.
When an ad leans on “supportive team” and “strong mentorship”, that is usually a company that hires a lot of graduates and expects to train them. Good news if you are early and worried about experience, because they are telling you upfront that they do not expect the finished article. They expect someone who will take the help and actually use it.
“Eager to learn” sounds like filler, so most people read past it. What they mean is they would rather have someone a bit behind who is genuinely curious than someone further ahead who thinks they already know it all. For a lot of international students that is the line to notice, because it is the company quietly saying attitude will be weighed right alongside experience.
“Small close-knit team” is the opposite of the busy growing company. It is a quieter place where you sit near the same few people every day and how you get on with them counts as much as your work does. Some people love that and some feel boxed in by it. Either way the ad is telling you which kind of place it is before you ever walk through the door.
Why this one matters more for you
When you apply, an Australian employer is weighing up two things about you. Whether you can do the work, and whether you will fit the way they work. That second question is the one international students lose out on most, usually not because the answer is no, but because no one ever told them it was being asked.
The words around the list are exactly where that second question lives. When you pick up on them and speak to them in your cover letter and your interview, you are answering something most applicants do not even realise is on the table. You are showing the employer you understood who they were looking for, not just what tasks they listed.
What to do this week
Pick one real job ad you would genuinely apply for and paste it into a blank document.
Cross out the entire requirements list. Every line about degrees, software and years of experience. Leave it alone for now.
Read only what is left and underline every phrase that describes a person rather than a task. Words like collaborative, takes ownership, eager to learn, works with a diverse client base.
Now, for each phrase you underlined, write one plain sentence saying what kind of person they are describing and whether that is honestly you. The test is whether it is actually true of you, not whether you could act it out for one interview. Some ads you will get to the end of and realise you are exactly who they want, and you were about to close the tab over one missing software line. Others you will realise are not for you at all, and working that out now saves you a week you would have spent applying.
Do this with three ads this week. What you are practising is spotting the person hidden in the wording. Once you can see them, everything you write to that employer can speak to them directly.
References
SEEK Career Advice (2025–2026) How to know if a job is right for you and related graduate guidance. Available at: https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice (Accessed: 13 August 2026).
Study Australia (2026) What employers are looking for. Available at: https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au (Accessed: 7 August 2026).
Insider Guides (2023) Step-by-step guide to reading an English job advert. Available at: https://insiderguides.com.au (Accessed: 7 August 2026).
Disclaimer
This blog contains links to external websites and platforms for informational purposes only. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or compensated by any of the organisations, platforms, or services mentioned. All references are provided to support students and readers in accessing useful resources.