How to spot a job worth applying for.

Start with the pay

A listing that shows the pay is telling you something about the employer: they know what the role is worth and they’re comfortable saying so. A listing that says “competitive” or “attractive package” is asking you to invest time before you know whether the job can work for you.

That doesn’t make every listing without pay a bad one. But if two roles look equally interesting and only one shows the pay, start with that one. When the pay is shown, check what it covers: base or total package, super included or on top, and how any commission or bonus actually works.

Look for a job you can picture

A good listing describes the work clearly enough that you can imagine your week. Look for:

• Specific duties, not a list of adjectives. “Run onboarding calls with new clients” beats “dynamic self-starter”.
• The hours, and whether they’re fixed or flexible.
• Where the work happens: remote, hybrid or on-site, and where.
• Who you’ll work with and who you’ll report to.
• What the first few months look like, including any training.

If you finish reading a listing and still can’t say what you’d actually do on a Tuesday, the employer may not have worked it out either.

Check the requirements are realistic

Requirements tell you how clearly an employer has thought about the role. A short list of things that obviously relate to the work is a good sign. A long list that asks for every skill imaginable, or years of experience in a tool that has barely existed that long, suggests nobody has thought it through.

Don’t rule yourself out too quickly, though. If you meet most of the requirements that matter and can show the rest is within reach, apply.

Weigh the whole package

Pay matters, but it isn’t the whole picture. Hours, flexibility, travel time, training, how settled the business seems and the people you would work for all count. Write down the two or three things that matter most to you right now, and judge each listing against those rather than against everything at once.

Read the process, not just the role

How an employer hires tells you a lot about how they work. A good listing tells you how to apply, roughly how long it takes, when applications close and how you’ll hear back. A firm closing date is a good sign. It means someone has a plan and intends to make a decision.

Be wary of processes that ask for a lot before you know much, such as a long unpaid assignment at the first step, or several rounds of interviews before anyone mentions the pay.

Know the red flags

Most listings are genuine. A few are not, and scams aimed at job seekers are common enough that it pays to know the signs. Be careful if:

• You’re asked to pay for anything: training, a starter kit, equipment or a background check.
• You’re asked for your bank details, tax file number or identity documents before you’ve had a written offer.
• The pay is far above what similar roles offer, for very little work.
• The whole process happens by text chat, with no call or video interview with a real person.
• You can’t find any trace of the business or of the person contacting you.

A message on WhatsApp isn’t a red flag on its own. Genuine recruiters use it too, including us, with shortlisted applicants. What matters is what you’re asked for. If something feels off, Scamwatch, run by the ACCC, has current guidance on job scams and how to report them.

Ask the questions that matter

If you get to an interview, use it to fill the gaps the listing left. A few questions worth asking:

• What does success look like in the first three months?
• Why is this role open?
• How is the pay structured, and how often is it reviewed?
• What hours do people on the team actually work?
• What happens next, and when will I hear back?

A good employer will be glad you asked. The answers, and how comfortable they are giving them, will tell you most of what you need to know.

Keep track of what you apply for

When you’re applying for several roles, it’s easy to lose track. Keep a simple list: the role, the business, the date you applied, the closing date and who you dealt with. It helps you follow up, stops you applying twice and means you’re ready when the phone rings.

Trust the small signals

Small things add up. A listing with typos everywhere, an interviewer who hasn’t read your application, or a vague answer about who you’d report to all tell you something about the place. So does the opposite: a clear listing, a process that runs on time and people who answer straight. You are choosing them as much as they are choosing you.