#113 How to Write a Better Job Description
Many hiring managers know that qualified and relevant talent can be difficult to attract even when you have a great team, an interesting and fulfilling position, and offer super benefits. Check out these tips from industry experts for writing more effective job postings:
Choose relevant job titles and keywords. While advertising for a “Sales Rock Star” or “Software Ninja” may seem like a fun way to make your job posting stand out, it’s more likely to get buried in organic searches. Most job seekers aren’t searching for whatever creative job title you’ve come up with, so your posting just won’t appear in their search results. Optimize your job titles for search, and save the fun, creative stuff for the description itself. The right keywords will also optimize your posting for search engines like Google, Firefox, and Chrome.
Make your ad easy to look at. Fun or unusual job titles usually don’t draw job seeker attention, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to attract them. For example, branded job postings tend to get more attention, and postings that include a recruitment video do better still. Job seekers are looking for anything other than long blocks of text – make sure to present job requirements, desired skills and benefits in the form of bulleted lists.
Set clear expectations. Be upfront about potential deal-breakers (like significant travel time or potential overtime hours) as well as success factors. After all, hiring successful people is much easier when everyone involved understands what success in that particular role looks like. Setting clear expectations with candidates from the beginning will get you a better fit in the end.
Cut out the fat. The average job seeker spends fewer than 30 seconds reviewing a job posting. It is crucial for candidates to understand the role and expectations surrounding it, but brevity is key to capturing their attention. Keep the content of your job posting brief and to-the-point by highlighting only the most important and unique pieces of information.
Employ the “real estate rule.” By now you might be frustrated – we’ve basically told you to include all relevant information while keeping it as brief as possible. While the two ideas may seem slightly at odds with one another, they are not mutually exclusive. With so much to say in such limited space, location of text is everything. Put the most important information at the top of the ad, followed by pertinent details about the role itself. The most engaging and interesting content should capture candidates’ attention and compel them to read further.
Include your location. Possibly the most important factor in job seekers’ minds – behind perhaps only salary and benefits – is the location of a job. For many candidates, it’s a deal-breaker. You don’t want to waste time and effort chasing candidates who simply cannot or will not be able to make the necessary commute, so be sure to let them know where the job is located right away. If you’re willing to let them work remotely or offer work from home days, be sure to mention that (and give it appropriately visible textual real estate), as that could sway their decision.
Don’t ignore compensation. It should come as no surprise that salary plays a major role in a candidate’s decision to accept a job offer or even apply. So, if you know you offer competitive compensation, say so. If you don’t, talk about what you can offer instead – benefits, employee perks or company culture. Advancement opportunities, the chance to learn new skills, take on interesting projects, travel and flexible schedules can go a long way in many candidates’ minds.
Don’t forget to sell. The most important step in creating a strong job posting is making sure candidates can identify what the job is, where it is, and whether it’s in their desired field. Once the basic facts are covered, it’s time to sell them on the opportunity and the company. To write an engaging ad, ask yourself two questions: “What will candidates love about this job?” and “What do employees say they love about your company?” You’ll be able to speak to your audience and get the right fit.
Don’t try to be something you’re not. A perfect fit for Dell or IBM might not necessarily be a good fit at your company and vice versa. Luckily, finding the right cultural fit is a big part of most candidates’ job search process as well – so the work is already half done for you. By just being honest about who you are as an employer and what your company culture is like, you’ll spot the best candidates for your position without much effort.
Adapted from How to Write Better Job Descriptions by CareerBuilder available at: https://hiring.careerbuilder.com/recruiting-solutions