How to read a job spec like a recruiter (and predict your questions)

When candidates ask me how to prepare, my first question is always the same: "Have you really read the job spec?" Most people skim it once, decide they can do the job, and file it away. That is a missed opportunity, because the job spec is the closest thing you will ever get to seeing the interview questions in advance.

For 15+ years I have helped hiring managers shape these documents and then built interview questions from them. Here is how to read one the way the people interviewing you do.

1. Find the three things they cannot live without

Every spec has a wish list and a must-have list, and they are not always labelled. Look for what is repeated, what appears near the top, and anything that says "essential", "proven" or "minimum". Those are the areas the panel will test hardest. Expect at least one question on each.

2. Turn every responsibility into a question

Take each bullet under "responsibilities" or "key duties" and rewrite it as "Tell me about a time you…". For example:

• "Manage relationships with key stakeholders" becomes "Tell me about a time you managed a difficult stakeholder."
• "Deliver projects on time and within budget" becomes "Tell me about a project that was at risk of running late. What did you do?"
• "Ensure compliance with policies and procedures" becomes "Tell me about a time you noticed something was not being done correctly."

Do this for the whole spec and you will have a list of likely questions that is far more accurate than anything you find online.

3. Read the language for the culture

Words like "fast-paced", "ambiguity" and "self-starter" tell you they want someone who copes without much hand-holding. "Collaborative", "cross-functional" and "relationship-building" tell you they will probe how you work with others. Choose stories that show the behaviour the spec is describing.

4. Spot the gaps before they do

Be honest with yourself: where does your CV not quite match? Maybe you have not managed a team directly, or you have not used their system. The panel will notice. Prepare a calm, honest answer that shows how your experience transfers and how quickly you learn. A gap you address confidently is far less damaging than one you are caught out on.

If a requirement worries you, it will probably come up. Prepare for it rather than hoping it does not.

5. Prepare your questions from the spec too

At the end you will be asked, "Do you have any questions for us?" Use the spec. Ask what success in the first six months looks like for a key responsibility, or how the team currently handles a challenge the spec hints at. It shows you prepared, and it gives you useful information.

Your 30-minute job spec exercise

1. Highlight the must-haves.
2. Rewrite each responsibility as a "Tell me about a time" question.
3. Match a real example from your experience to each.
4. Write down your gaps and an honest answer for each.
5. Prepare two questions to ask them.

Thirty minutes with a highlighter will do more for your interview than hours of reading generic question lists. This is exactly where I start with every client, because the spec tells us what they will ask.

More interview tips

• STAR answers that recruiters actually remember
• The salary question: how to answer without underselling yourself