Is this job worth applying to? A five minute check
Before you spend an hour on an application, spend five minutes on these questions. They weed out most of the roles that were never going to work.
The most expensive part of a job search isn't the rejections. It's the hours that go into applications that never had a real chance. A short check before you apply fixes most of that.
1. Can you meet the must haves?
Find the requirements the company can't bend on. They're usually phrased as "you have" or "required", and they're often about the right to work somewhere, a language, a licence, or a minimum amount of time in a specific kind of role.
Miss one of those and the application is very likely over, however strong the rest of your CV is. Miss a nice to have and it rarely matters. Postings are wish lists, and the people who get hired rarely tick every box.
2. Is the seniority right?
Titles can mislead. A senior role at a ten person startup might be what a larger company would call mid level. Read what they expect you to own.
If the posting talks about setting direction for a team and you've never led anyone, it's a stretch. If it talks about "learning from senior engineers" and you've been one for years, you'll probably get bored, and they'll probably worry you'll leave.
3. Does the location actually work?
"Remote" means at least three different things: anywhere in the world, anywhere in one country, or remote after a few months in the office. Look for a country or a time zone. If a remote role says US only and you live in Portugal, move on.
Hybrid usually means a set number of office days. Check how far the office is before you get attached to the role.
4. Is the salary in range?
If the posting shows a salary, compare it with what you need, not what you'd like. If it doesn't, look up what the same title pays in the same city. A role that pays a third below your floor isn't worth a four round interview process.
5. Is it still open?
Postings stay up long after a role has been filled. If one is more than six weeks old, check the company's own careers page. If the role has gone from there, it's gone.
6. Would you take the offer?
This one is easy to skip. If you got an offer tomorrow, would you say yes? If the honest answer is "probably not", put that hour into a role where the answer is yes.
Doing this faster
This is the check the IdealJob Career Agent runs on every role before it shows it to you. It weighs the requirements, seniority, location and salary against your CV and preferences, gives a score out of 100, and tells you whether to apply, review or skip.
Found a role somewhere else? Paste the link into the Job Analyzer and you'll get the same check in a few seconds.
Questions people ask
Should I apply if I don't meet all the requirements?
Usually yes, as long as you meet the ones the posting marks as required. Nice to haves are a wish list, and the people who get hired rarely tick every box.
How can I tell if a job posting is still open?
Check the company's own careers page. If the role isn't listed there anymore, it has most likely been filled or closed, even if job boards still show it.
What IdealJob match score is worth applying to?
As a rule of thumb, roles scoring 75 or more are strong matches. Below 60, read the gaps carefully before you spend time on an application.
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