Have you ever thought about what kind of impression your job postings leave on candidates?
Sometimes they’re written in a rush, sometimes they’re so formulaic that… Believe me, candidates notice this right away.
What kind of company is behind this ad? That’s what candidates want to know. You’re no longer facing a group of people who say, “Let me just start and hope for the best.” Even if the new generation lacks experience, they can still sense what kind of culture and climate the ad reflects.
Job Ads Have a Soul
Every job posting actually tells a story. There’s always something hidden between the lines: how the company views its employees, what kind of team the managers envision, even whether the organizational culture is warm or formal… It’s all there.
A job ad doesn’t just say, “You must have these skills”; it also answers the question, “What kind of workplace are we offering?” That’s why reading an ad is not only about learning the job description. You can also understand the company’s spirit, its approach, and how it will make you feel.
The Translation of Job Ads
The Old-School Classics
| Expression in the Job Ad | What It Tells Us |
| Flexible working hours | No weekends off or fixed shifts; you’ll be expected to work continuously |
| Being presentable | Appearance is valued more than the actual nature of the work |
| Team player | Don’t stand out too much, don’t push your own ideas |
| Fluent in English | We don’t know it, but you should—so you can handle things |
| To be trained | You may work for a long time with low pay / without insurance |
| Shuttle service available | Your freedom will be restricted, working hours will be tightly controlled |
| No travel restrictions | Married women with children are automatically excluded |
| Preferably Boğaziçi, METU, ITU, etc. | We care more about prestige than competence |
| MS Office knowledge (even in a manager’s ad) | The role definition is unclear; unnecessary details are added |
| 10 years of experience required | Company is overly focused on experience; no room for young people |
| Looking for a very young secretary | The employer’s intentions may be questionable |
| Family-like environment | Is this a company or the boss’s household? |
| We’re looking for star employees | Do you expect more than the position requires? |
Trends of the New Era
| Expression in the Job Ad | What It Tells Us |
| Stress management | Workflows are not organized; surprises may arise at any moment |
| Able to work under pressure | If stress is already bad, customer satisfaction must be even worse |
| Multitasking | No clear job description; you’ll be tossed around from task to task |
| Working with a start-up spirit | Day and night are undefined; every task will be assigned to you |
| Opportunities for growth | High expectations, lots of training, little pay |
| Dynamic working environment | Desks go to whoever grabs them first |
And beyond that, when job ads are automated with AI, be prepared for your application to be evaluated by AI as well. We’ve already entered this new era: most job postings are written by artificial intelligence. But sometimes those ads give off such a vibe that it’s hard to ignore:
“Dear candidate, we don’t really care about you. Here are the tasks, go ahead and apply. You’ll be evaluated by AI anyway.”
The Absurd Side of Job Ads
Sometimes job postings are so extreme that you don’t even need to read between the lines to understand the company’s approach.
About 15 years ago, in the yellow pages section of Sabah newspaper, one ad that ran for several weeks remains unforgettable:
“We are looking for employees who have been convicted of bride kidnapping and released.”
Another famous posting revealed a much more personal search:
“I am a single businessman living alone. I am looking for a female employee to do my housework, ironing, and cleaning. Between 18–36 years old, well-groomed, reliable, modern, veiled, married, outspoken, and free-spirited.”
These kinds of contradictory and overly detailed expectations show how arbitrary and boundary-pushing job ads can become.
Such extreme examples reveal that job postings are not only a professional necessity but also sometimes expose the true intentions, values, and even the mindset of companies or individuals.