Write a Job Description that Attracts the Right Candidate

Begin with a specific candidate in mind

To be able to craft a nearly perfect job description that will help attracting the right talent, you should accept the fact that jobs are dynamic and change over time, and the job description for the same position that you had a year ago might not be the same. To begin with, think about what will best serve your organization in the short and long term. Does your current job description address this? If yes, then great, move on to our suggestions on how to make it even better. If no, then figure out what you need now, but also envision what it will look like in the future.

Job descriptions are very important for the right applicants who look not for just any job, but a career. Here are the strategies and suggestions on how to give your job description a boost with the first one being obvious: make sure that it is up-to-date and has a specific candidate profile in mind.

Transparency

Transparency is very important. Applicants deserve to know what they will be expected to do, and which skills will help them get there. They have the right to know about the working conditions and reporting structure. What are the expectations of their performance? Are technical skills valued over people skills? Or vise versa? What is the hiring process like? Are you planning on asking for the references? If yes, this also should be included in the job description. All of this should be considered when creating a successful job description.

Be detailed about what matters most to talent, but not extremely detailed when it comes to qualifications

Your applicants are very keen to know about how their lives will be affected should they accept the job, so be specific when it comes to the job title, day-to-day responsibilities, salary range (if pay transparency is your company’s philosophy), and especially benefits and perks. Tone it down on job qualifications, especially in a tight candidate market. The more qualification an applicants sees attached to a potential job opportunity the less likely they are to apply for it (especially, women). And the reason being is: they don’t believe that they will land the job, so why bother.

Tell your company’s story

You should be able to understand your audience to write a compelling story. Look at your job description from the job seeker’s perspective. Why should one apply to work at your company? What impact will they have on the world, community, and the bottom line? Will they find the work rewarding? If you pride yourself in an incredible company culture, showcase it. If you think you make outstanding contributions to the community, speak about it. If your company does an excellent job in green initiatives, demonstrate those to your applicants. Write a short, but compelling story about your accomplishments as a company and tell the job seekers what they will find rewarding by joining you.

Call to action

You might be missing out on great candidates simply because there is no clear statement on how they can apply to your job. Wrap up your job description with a call to action. It could be as simple as “Don’t wait, apply now.” If you have some wiggle room on job qualifications, try an encouraging statement like: “We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet all the qualifications.” You can add a personal touch to your call to action. For example, if your company is growing and you will have wonderful opportunities ahead, attract your talent by speaking to someone who feels stuck in their current role by stating: “Ready for something other than just another job? Apply now!”

Ultimately, there is no guarantee that the most perfect candidate will apply to your job, however when you craft your job description with care, you will spark interest from high quality applicants.