Every business owner and HR director loves the process of hiring new employees. It’s quick, efficient, and hassle-free.
Not.
Everyone knows that hiring new employees is often a costly, painstaking process. It takes a lot of time and energy to find the right fit. You have to see if candidates have the skillset you’re looking for, if they’re a good culture fit, if they’ll be able to grow into the role… the list goes on.
But hiring new employees doesn’t have to be so challenging. You can avoid a lot of hassle and attract top-notch candidates by simply writing a kickass job description.
Job descriptions are important because they’re a potential employee’s first impression of your company. Think of it like a first date — the more you show off your values and benefits, the more likely you’ll land a second date.
A solid job description will help attract the talent you’re looking for, making it easier for you and your HR team in the long run. Follow these 8 tips when writing your next job description.
Study Your Ideal Candidate
When writing your job description, pull at the heartstrings a little bit. It’s well-known that people often make decisions based on emotion first, and then rationalize with logic afterwards. Applying for jobs is no different.
Think about your ideal candidate’s goals and values — what are they? What are some things that make this person happy? Tap into these factors and use them in your messaging.
Keep it Short
You know that feeling of dread you get when you see long paragraphs stacked on top of each other? Yeah, that’s how potential candidates are going to feel when they read your long-ass job description.
Keep your copy short and compelling (especially your company’s summary) and focus more on your core values and the traits needed to be successful in the role. These aspects are what candidates are going to be most interested in.
Keep It Original
Everyone can tell when a job description is copy and pasted from Google. Make sure yours fits your brand’s tone and personality and include specific skills you need for this particular role.
Think of scenarios this employee may face and tailor your description around that. You can avoid a formulaic job description by making it simple, personal, and fun to read.
Describe the Role’s Benefits
No one wants to read about your company’s accomplishments and the mundane list of day-to-day tasks they’ll be taking on. Candidates want to know how they’re going to feel and benefit from working for your company instead of someone else’s.
People naturally want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and you can appeal to that desire by showing candidates what the impact of their work will be.
Example from RT London, one of our clients:
Have you ever found yourself wanting to create something meaningful and be a part of something bigger than yourself? Us too. At RT London, we build American-made furniture that helps people learn, grow, heal, and thrive.
Universities, rehabilitation facilities, shelters, medical centers, training camps, and libraries are just a few of the markets we serve. In other words, our work impacts real people and their communities.
We help change lives every day. If you join the RT London team, you will too.
And of course, be sure to summarize your benefits package. Benefits are a major dealbreaker these days — remote work, 401(k) match, casual dress, insurance plans, education, paid time off, and flexibility should all be mentioned in your job description.
Define Responsibilities
Your list of responsibilities will help outline the role, but it’s easy to make that section dull and generic. In each bullet point, use strong verbs to generate excitement. This will help you narrow down passionate candidates.
Example:
- Crafting informative, engaging, and digestible blogs that people can’t stop reading
- Designing gorgeous infographics that make Canva subscribers jealous
- Publishing easy-to-skim, eBooks for download in exchange for email addresses
Keep Your Job Requirements Clear
Make sure you clarify your necessary skills from desired skills — sharing this information will encourage more women and diverse candidates to apply. It also shows candidates that your company has a supportive learning culture and there is room for people to grow in the role.
Example:
Here are the skills we’re looking for:
- Knowledge of online content strategy and creation
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to converse with clients
- Creativity and collaborative spirit
- Analytical skills to review client data
- Excellent time management and multitasking skills to transition among clients easily
- Organizational ability and attention to detail to manage multiple accounts at a time
- Knowledge and experience with Pay-Per-Click (PPC) marketing is a plus
- Event planning experience is preferred
- Graphic and web design experience is a bonus
Get Insight From Your Current Employees
No one is more qualified to review your job description than your own team. Ask your employees to review your description for language, tone, and all of the job’s details.
Your team will help make sure your description accurately reflects your company’s culture and the skills you’re looking for.
Use Inclusive Language
You might not want to believe it, but your job description might have some bias. And that can exclude some amazing candidates. This happens when you use jargon, gendered language, and culturally specific phrases.
For example, “rockstar,” “fearless,” and “guru” seem fun and harmless, but they carry a masculine undertone. “Roll up your sleeves” could also confuse applicants whose native language isn’t English.
We could go on and on about crafting the perfect job description, but we can’t fit it all into one blog post. You can use these 8 tips the next time you’re hiring, or you can let us write the job description for you.
We’re here to help you put your best foot forward. Give us a call!
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