A job advert is an advertising text from the employer and also a list of expectations. Reading it well means recognising which requirements really apply, which are phrased as wishes and where the employer simply uses set phrases.
Short answer: A job advert contains must-have requirements, bonus points and wishes. If you separate these levels, you apply more precisely. Under section 11 AGG, a job may not be advertised in breach of the prohibition of discrimination (as of November 2026).
The most important points in brief
- Must-have requirements are the threshold, while bonus points and wishes influence the selection among applicants.
- Phrases such as “ideally” or “an advantage” mark wishes, not conditions.
- Set phrases such as “team player” should be backed up with an example in your cover letter.
- Missing details on salary, working hours or fixed-term status should be clarified before you apply or at first contact.
- Adverts must not be worded in a discriminatory way, and that includes references to age.
Why do job adverts rarely mean exactly what they say?
An advert is meant to attract applicants and to give an overview of the role at the same time. That is why sober requirements are mixed with promotional language. An ideal profile is often phrased as a must-have, either to narrow the field or to signal seriousness. Important details such as a fixed-term contract or working hours sometimes appear at the end. Read the advert twice: once for the content and once for the wording.
How do you recognise a must-have, a bonus point and a wish?
The table classifies typical phrases. It is a reading aid rather than a legal interpretation. What counts in the end is what the employer clarifies in the conversation.
| Phrase | Classification | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Requirement”, “you bring”, “essential” | Hard requirement | Back it up with evidence on your CV |
| “an advantage”, “ideally” | Bonus point | Mention it only if you have it |
| “knowledge of” without a level | Open | Clarify in the interview what level is expected |
| “you enjoy”, “we are a team” | Culture, not a criterion | Pick it up in the cover letter without repeating set phrases |
An advert can quickly become long. Focus on the three to five requirements that appear most often or most clearly in the text. These points usually decide whether an application is worth sending. For how digital pre-screening sorts applications, see Applications through AI filters: how recruiters pre-sort documents (in German).
What should you do if you meet only some requirements?
If you lack a wish, you do not need to rule yourself out. What matters is that the must-have requirements are met and that you can explain any gap honestly. In the cover letter, one sentence is then enough to show how you would close the missing area, for example through a course or a project.
Be careful with requirements you do not meet at all. An application is a promise. If a hard requirement turns out to be missing in the interview, your credibility suffers. It is better to name an honest gap than to invent evidence.
What does the equal treatment law mean for an advert?
Under section 11 AGG, a job may not be advertised in breach of the prohibition of discrimination. The Federal Employment Agency points out in its guidance on the General Equal Treatment Act that jobs may not be advertised in breach of this prohibition. Typical phrases such as “young, dynamic team” can aim at a certain age. Whether they are permissible depends on the individual case.
For you as an applicant, this means that an advert which clearly targets age, gender or origin is a reason to look more closely. You need not treat it as an automatic exclusion, but you can ask at first contact what is meant.
What is missing from a good advert?
A complete advert names the tasks, the requirements, the place of work, the working hours and the type of contract. Often, however, details on salary, fixed-term status or probation are missing. Whether a salary must be stated depends on the rules in force, which the article on pay transparency and the comparison salary explains (in German).
| Detail | Why it matters | How to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks | Show what you would do every day | Ask for concrete examples from the team |
| Working hours | Shape daily life and pay | Clarify full-time, part-time or flexible hours |
| Fixed term | Affects planning and security | Ask about duration and an option to extend |
| Salary | Basis for negotiation | Ask about gross pay and additional benefits |
How do you prepare for the advert?
Choose three must-have requirements and write one piece of evidence from your experience for each. That can be a project, a degree or a placement. The advert then becomes the framework for your cover letter, and it refers to the role rather than to set phrases.
It also helps to pick up the language of the advert without copying it. Anyone who uses the company’s terms shows that they understood the role. Anyone who takes over whole sentences quickly sounds interchangeable. For the overall process, the overview in the timeline for your first job application (in German) helps.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to meet every requirement?
No. The must-have requirements are the most important criteria. Bonus points and wishes are helpful, but they rarely decide on their own. Apply if you meet the core requirements and can explain any gaps.
What does “team player” mean in an advert?
The phrase is a set phrase that many adverts use. In your cover letter, support it best with a concrete example from a project, a group task or a part-time job.
Must the salary appear in the advert?
Whether and how much salary information is given depends on the rules in force. If it is missing, you can ask at first contact. The linked article on the comparison salary explains the topic in more detail.
What should I do if the advert is contradictory?
Ask at first contact, factually and specifically. A sentence such as “I want to make sure I understand the requirements correctly” sounds professional and resolves the question.
Is it worth applying without meeting every requirement?
If you do not meet the must-have requirements, an application is usually unlikely to succeed. If you meet them but lack bonus points, applying is usually worthwhile. For entry-level applicants without experience, the article on applications without work experience (in German) is a helpful next step.
What to do now
- Mark all must-have requirements in the advert and select at most five.
- Sort bonus points and wishes separately from them.
- For each must-have requirement, write one piece of evidence from your experience.
- Note missing details and clarify them at first contact before you seriously weigh the offer.
Related articles
- Applying for your first job: timeline from advert to contract
- Pay transparency: when you can ask for the comparison salary
- Writing an application with AI: what is allowed and what stands out
- Starting Salaries After Graduation: What Really Counts
- Applications without work experience: which documents count
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
