✨ Activity: Career Search - Job Posting Analysis for Cover Letter & Resume

Site: RRU Open Educational Resources
Course: Career Management Resources for Professionals
Book: ✨ Activity: Career Search - Job Posting Analysis for Cover Letter & Resume
Printed by: Guest user
Date: Tuesday, 1 July 2025, 1:08 AM

Job Posting Analysis

Part 1: Analyze a Sample Posting

  1. Review the sample job posting
  2. Identify technical and transferable skills
  3. Examine the example T-Chart and skill statements
  4. Read Address the Gaps
  5. Review sample cover letter and resume

Part 2: Apply Your Learning

  1. Find a job posting of interest
  2. Identify its technical and transferable skills
  3. Use a T-Chart: list job skills on the left, your matching skills/experience on the right
  4. Write a tailored cover letter and resume for the role

Once you have completed all of the steps and activities in this worksheet and still feel challenged, reach out to a Career Advisor for feedback in Career Services via LibCal.

1. Example Job Posting

Design Researcher

Idea Couture, a Cognizant Digital Business Cognizant Interactive. This is an exciting time for design research at Idea Couture. As our practice continues to grow, we need someone who is knowledgeable in all things UX but is passionate about User Research.

We’re looking for a Design Researcher who understands the nuances involved in conducting user research. At times, your presence in the field will have you translate findings and information into meaningful insights. You will build and implement experimental designs across a variety of product development studies ranging from early stage concept development and assessment through usability testing. We offer a creative, multi-disciplinary environment where you will be driving these activities.

What you'll be pursuing:

  • Partner with team members and our clients to galvanize a perspective about what research is the right research to conduct.
  • Lead and execute complex multi-stream research design projects for products and experiences independently and as part of a team.
  • Collect, analyze and synthesize user behavior through lab studies, field visits, ethnography, surveys, benchmark studies, and online experiments (e.g. A/B testing).
  • Work with Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and other UX and Design Researchers to prioritize research opportunities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
  • Understand and incorporate complex technical, business, and strategic requirements into research.
  • Advocate research findings to diverse audiences through written reports and in-person presentations.
  • Contribute to the evolution of design research theory and practice across the organization

Minimum Qualifications

  • BA/BS degree in Anthropology, Human Factors, Psychology, HCI/Computer Science or other related fields or equivalent practical experience.
  • 4 years of work experience conducting research, with expertise in formative and summative methodology.
  • Experience with defining usability performance metrics and conducting live or remote usability studies (e.g. Userzoom or Usertesting.com).
  • Experience conducting semi-structured interviews, stakeholder and user workshops, and contextual field visits in one-on-one and group settings.
  • Ability to synthesize and rationalize secondary and primary research findings into actionable insights and recommendations to inform design solutions
  • Polished presentation and facilitation skills within a cross-functional, interdisciplinary environment

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree or PhD in a related discipline.
  • Experience integrating user research into product designs and design practices.
  • Experience with research for service design
  • Experience in survey design and analysis. Working knowledge of statistics and experimental design.
  • Deep understanding of the strengths and shortcomings of different research methods, including when and how to apply them during the product development process

Our strength is built on our ability to work together. Our diverse backgrounds offer different perspectives and new ways of thinking. It encourages lively discussions, inspires thought leadership, and helps us build better solutions for our clients. We want someone who thrives in this setting and is inspired to create meaningful solutions through true collaboration.

If you’re comfortable with ambiguity, excited by change, and excel through autonomy, we’d love to hear from you.

2. Example of technical and transferable skills identified from the job posting

In this example, we've colour-coded the list of the different types of skills to found in the job posting on the left:

Design Researcher

Idea Couture, a Cognizant Digital Business Cognizant Interactive. This is an exciting time for design research at Idea Couture. As our practice continues to grow, we need someone who is knowledgeable in all things UX but is passionate about User Research.

We’re looking for a Design Researcher who understands the nuances involved in conducting user research. At times, your presence in the field will have you translate findings and information into meaningful insights. You will build and implement experimental designs across a variety of product development studies ranging from early stage concept development and assessment through usability testing. We offer a creative, multi-disciplinary environment where you will be driving these activities.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • Conducting user research
  • Translate findings and information into meaningful insights
  • Build and implement experimental designs

CORPORATE CULTURE

  • Creative, multi-disciplinary environment

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

  • Leadership

What you'll be pursuing:

  • Partner with team members and our clients to galvanize a perspective about what research is the right research to conduct.
  • Lead and execute complex multi-stream research design projects for products and experiences independently and as part of a team.
  • Collect, analyze and synthesize user behavior through lab studies, field visits, ethnography, surveys, benchmark studies, and online experiments (e.g. A/B testing).
  • Work with Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and other UX and Design Researchers to prioritize research opportunities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
  • Understand and incorporate complex technical, business, and strategic requirements into research.
  • Advocate research findings to diverse audiences through written reports and in-person presentations.
  • Contribute to the evolution of design research theory and practice across the organization

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

  • Leadership, independent, team player, project management (time management, organization, communication)

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • Collect, analyze and synthesize user behavior

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

  • Collaboration, communication, work under pressure

Minimum Qualifications

  • BA/BS degree in Anthropology, Human Factors, Psychology, HCI/Computer Science or other related fields or equivalent practical experience.
  • 4 years of work experience conducting research, with expertise in formative and summative methodology.
  • Experience with defining usability performance metrics and conducting live or remote usability studies (e.g. Userzoom or Usertesting.com).
  • Experience conducting semi-structured interviews, stakeholder and user workshops, and contextual field visits in one-on-one and group settings.
  • Ability to synthesize and rationalize secondary and primary research findings into actionable insights and recommendations to inform design solutions
  • Polished presentation and facilitation skills within a cross-functional, interdisciplinary environment

TRANSFERABLE/DIGITAL SKILLS

  • e.g. A/B testing
  • e.g. Userzoom or Usertesting.com

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • BA/BS degree
  • Conducting research, with expertise in formative and summative methodology
  • Defining usability performance metrics and conducting live or remote usability studies

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree or PhD in a related discipline.
  • Experience integrating user research into product designs and design practices.
  • Experience with research for service design
  • Experience in survey design and analysis. Working knowledge of statistics and experimental design.
  • Deep understanding of the strengths and shortcomings of different research methods, including when and how to apply them during the product development process

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Preferred Qualifications (aka "Bonus Points")

  • Master's degree or PhD in a related discipline
  • Integrating user research into product designs and design practices

Our strength is built on our ability to work together. Our diverse backgrounds offer different perspectives and new ways of thinking. It encourages lively discussions, inspires thought leadership, and helps us build better solutions for our clients. We want someone who thrives in this setting and is inspired to create meaningful solutions through true collaboration.

  • If you’re comfortable with ambiguity, excited by change, and excel through autonomy, we’d love to hear from you.

CORPORATE CULTURE

  • Diverse team (could be cultural, age, gender &/or disciplines)

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

  • Open-minded, communication, leadership, innovative thinking, problem solving, collaborate, flexible, adaptable, can work independently

3. Review the T-Chart Example

Review the interactive T-Chart image below.


You can also Download a copy (PDF) of this resource, if you prefer.

4. Review: Address the Gaps.

Everyone has skill or experience gaps—being 100% qualified is rare.

Tips:

  • Don’t highlight gaps in your cover letter, resume, or interview (unless asked)
  • If asked, briefly explain how you plan to build the skill (e.g., a course, volunteering, on-the-job training)
  • For unfamiliar tools, mention similar software you know and your ability to learn quickly
  • Use language and keywords from the job posting and company website to show alignment and build rapport
  • Emphasize transferable skills—employers often train technical ones but expect soft skills to be well-developed

5. Review the cover letter and resume example

Click the image below to download and review this sample cover letter and resume. How does it relate to what has been discussed in this unit?


Part 2: Conduct Your Own Job Posting Analysis

Now that you’ve reviewed a job posting analysis example, it’s your turn. Follow these steps:

  1. Find a Job Posting: Choose one that interests you and be ready to take notes.
  2. Identify Key Skills: Highlight or list the technical and transferable skills from the posting.
  3. Create a T-Chart: List job-required skills on the left.
  4. Add Your Skills: On the right, match your relevant skills and experience to each listed requirement.
  5. Write Your Application: Use this analysis to craft a tailored cover letter and resume.

Next, continue on to Activity: Career Search - Negotiating Job Offers