Back to work and still hunting high and low for those great candidates! Spending time writing great job postings is time well spent, especially for tough to fill roles that have been left idle for too long. With these tips, you should have no problem sprucing up any job description to get you THE candidate for the job!
Personality
No one wants to apply to work at a company with a job description that reads like it’s come out of a textbook that was written by a robot. Needling through the minutiae of the job isn’t going to do much for your candidate pool, even if it’s for a data management role. When it comes to job descriptions less is always more. You don’t have to be ‘zany’ or force the use of slang words like ‘fleek’ to get the attention of top talent, instead use a voice that personifies the culture and mission for the client you are hiring for.
Realistic Expectations
Counselling clients on their expectations is part of our job and often what ensures that they will find the right person for the job. When job descriptions pile on ‘nice to haves’ or mix unlikely pairings of ‘must have’ skill sets into one job description, it signals a red flag to potential candidates. Keeping the list to the required credentials and software skills is more than enough. Anything bonus or preferred can be discussed throughout the interview process. You don’t want to scare off solid applicants with a scroll of unrealistic expectations.
Visual Appeal
There are many ways to make a job description appealing not least of all is eliminating useless text or neverending bullet points. Make certain the company logo appears in the header and that the structure of content that follows has a sense of purpose and flow. Use similar fonts to those that you use in your marketing pieces to bring the company identity to life.
Simplified, Friendly Language
If a candidate can’t understand a line item or word on your job description, 9 times out of 10 they aren’t going to ask about it. Instead, they will avoid it and that is a missed opportunity for learning about your candidates in the screening process. Using overly academic or complex language can isolate good candidates and come across as pompous. Accessibility is key.
Clear Instructions
You can write the best job description in the universe of job descriptions but if you haven’t included an easy way for interested candidates to reach you, the recruiting process will be lackluster. Including your name and email address is a good start. Any additional steps should be outlined in a list. The easier, more user-friendly the application process is, the more likely you are to increase applicant interest. Try to combine your need for organisation without exceeding your requests beyond 5 steps.
Honesty
Adding honesty and a subtle sense of humour about the less desirable tasks associated with the job can show an earnestness that is appreciated by most anyone in the position of hunting for a job. Including subtitles like ‘This Job is for You If:’ or ‘You Probably Won’t Like This Job If:’ can save everyone some time. Does the job require a lot of time spent answering emails? Mention it. Is frequent travel part of the role? That may not appeal to a new parent or someone who is afraid of flying. May as well craft a realistic job description to save you the agony of weeding through a mountain of unsuitable candidates.
Benefits
Potentially the best thing that you can do when luring candidates is to brag about the perks! Extended health coverage, subsidised transportation, expense accounts and bonuses are all worth mentioning from the get-go and can truly mean a leg up on the competitor. There is no real disadvantage to listing them all.
Happy posting!
