This post is the first in a series designed to show you how to write effective job descriptions, which is essential to hiring that star candidate your company needs. We’ll be going through and picking apart actual job postings found on job boards today to show you what works and what doesn’t, and give you the tips and tricks of the trade. We’ll start by outlining the fundamentals of a great job description. And we’ll begin with the most critical thing you need to know…
Your Job Description Is an Advertisement
Many people think of job descriptions as a wish list, a laundry list of duties, or a detailed HR document defining the parameters of the role.
But the most important duty of your job description is to sell your job to the candidates you really want.
For many employers, this involves a fundamental shift in thinking. Although the job description obviously needs to contain a list of what you want from the candidate, it needs to also communicate to candidates why they should want to work for YOU.
No matter what you put into it, never lose sight of this fact: the recruitment job description is first and foremost an advertisement.
The Job Description Recipe
Great job descriptions will give the job seeker an engaging and exciting look into what their career could become should they join your organization. Although the jobs market is tough for many people these days, the best candidates can still attract competitive offers. To capture the attention of candidates you want, you need to give them a compelling reason to work for you and not the company next door.
Great job descriptions require careful thought and planning, as poorly written and poorly planned descriptions can cause a variety of problems such as attracting the wrong candidates, legal issues, and lengthening the recruitment processes.
So, what are the key ingredients of a great job description? We generally recommend including a few key sections:
- About your company — An overview of who you are, what makes you special, and why someone would want to work for you.
- About the job — A summary of the position and its essential duties.
- Job requirements — All the stuff you need from the candidate, including qualifications, certifications or licences, experience, skills, and so on.
- Compensation/rewards — What’s in it for them? Talk about the compensation and rewards, including non-monetary and cultural rewards like snacks, vacation, training, and so on.
We’ll address each of these sections in more detail below, and you can also watch this video for a quick snapshot.
[vidyard dGITtBHYwOmR61ntOYcH3w 270 “Hiring Resources – Writing a Great Job Description”]
Start by using the right language
Your job description needs to capture and excite these star candidates to make your organization their first choice. Start with using language that is precise, engaging, and real, rather than using dull bureaucratic wording or too much technical jargon.
Many job advertisements put the main emphasis on a list of requirements which, for professionals, are obvious from the outset. You can include these details, but don’t make this the central focus and rather show them what they want to know instead. Potential employees will want to see that this job is a move that will further their career, provide adequate challenges, and bring career fulfilment.
Explain in real language that makes it a conversation instead of a lecture. Clearly describe how they will, for example, lead a product launch from the ground up or contribute to important team projects. Make the job advertisement show how their capabilities can fit with your organization’s goals, rather than how they must fit to your job’s duties.
About Your Company: Selling the organization
Communicating your organization’s culture, goals, and brand effectively can sell the job itself. Think of the places you would love to work at and why that is. What have they communicated that has attracted you?
Google is always topping the list of “Best company to work at” as they have a strong reputation for employee benefits and innovative and exciting work — they make working there look fun. You may not be Google, but you can still act like Google.
Especially if you are a smaller business, you might feel like an ant next to a gorilla when competing for top candidates. This section is especially important for you. Including some basic information such as how long you’ve been in business can demonstrate that you are a credible employer.
You then have an opportunity to explain why working for your small business is a great opportunity. For some people, the speed, flexibility, and entreprenuerial spirit of a small business is much more important than working for a well-known brand.
Sell your organization’s strong points. Define your mission statement, explain your organization’s culture or how you like to run business, and tell them about what you stand for. Talented candidates are looking for a better job; they want to know, and trust, that you can deliver a workplace that is right for them.
About the Job
Use bullet points to effectively capture each key responsibility area and engage candidates with the position.
Try to paint a picture of the job rather than throwing in a shopping list of tasks. If possible, show the percentage of time needed for each job duty in a day so that candidates have a clear picture of the requirements, and can evaluate their own abilities to the position. Aligning job functions with your organization’s goals will help employees see how they fit and contribute to the overall success of the organization.
In describing the position, it’s important to accentuate what makes it appealing. At the same time, be realistic and make sure all duties honestly describe the work to be done. If you make the job seem better than it is or something that it isn’t, it will only cause future problems between yourself and the new employee.
Job Requirements
Here’s where you state what the candidate will need to be successful.This can include required educational or professional credentials, experience, particular “hard” or “soft” skills, or physical capabiilities.
We like to divide this between “must haves” and “nice to have,” since not all qualifications are equally important.
Above all, be reasonable and don’t ask candidates for what is impossible, as the goal is to attract people and not repel them.
When brainstorming requirements, it’s easy to become like a kid in a candy store: we want everything! It can be helpful to look at your requirements with a critical eye and ask what you absolutely NEED.
- Do you need “Seven years experience”? Would you accept someone with five?
- Is a degree really that important to success?
- Do they need to have prior industry experience or can it be learned?
Your requirements are a filter that help ensure you get relevant applicants but at the same time they can limit your candidate pool. So it’s worth taking the time to make sure you have the proper mix.
[vidyard kgzDJmFtiedmDNqaT8hR4A 270 “Hiring Resources – Picking the Right Qualifications”]
Compensation and benefits
This section of the job description will greatly determine whether or not a job candidate decides to apply for the position or look on to the next one. This is your best chance to sell your organization and the position. If it comes down to a choice of two similar jobs, candidates will look for what you can offer above other organizations.
List the benefits and opportunities they will have, such as training available, career progression, flexible hours, access to a company car, bonuses, facilities, location, and anything else that will set you above the competition.
Remember: it’s not just about money. Sometimes training opportunities, flex time, or other perks can give you that added edge in a candidate’s mind.
Recap: checklist of a great job description
- Use language that is precise, engaging, and informative. Make it understandable, and stay clear of bureaucratic or technical verbiage.
- Sell yourself by communicating your organization’s culture, goals, and values. Show them why your organization is a great place to work.
- Focus only on what is essential to the job when listing duties and functions. Do not make it a list of tasks, rather a list that describes the functions and results desired. Paint them a picture of the job.
- Be selective and critical when listing your desired qualifications. Don’t ask for something impossible, as you’ll have fewer people apply to your job.
- Use compensation and benefits to really highlight the positives of your organization and the position. List the best perks available; it could be the deciding factor.
Stay tuned at this space, as we’ll be analyzing actual job descriptions for various positions all this week. Next up: “Hire Salespeople — Job Description for a Salesperson”.
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