Attracting top talent for any job starts with a captivating job description. Discover how to write job descriptions that attract the best applicants.
Every organization wants to attract the best applicants to fill job roles. It goes without saying that getting a good pool of the best applicants improves the chances of hiring a top performer. Unfortunately, many organizations don’t pay enough attention to the job description.
A boring or poorly written job description is the fastest way to guarantee that the best-qualified candidates will not apply. In this article, we will discuss the importance of an enticing job description and how to write one.
How important is a well-written job description?
A job description is the first thing potential applicants will read about your company and the position you're hiring for. That means it's your chance to set yourself apart from the competition, attract top talent and make sure candidates know what they'll be getting into.
How important is a well-written job description? A job description is an essential part of the search process for job seekers. According to an Indeed survey, 52 percent of job seekers say that the quality of a job description determines whether or not they apply for a job.
Obviously, not having a well-written job description limits your chance to attract the best applicants — you could be missing out on great candidates who take one glance at your listing and move on to other opportunities.
A well-written job description is not only the first step toward attracting great candidates, but it's also the best way to weed out the bad ones. You want a candidate who's qualified, obviously, but you also want someone who's excited about the opportunity and will be a good fit for your team.
How to write a job description to attract the best applicants
When writing a job description, many people are tempted to just copy and paste from their last posting. That's a mistake. A good job description should be tailored to the specific role you're looking to fill and the type of person who will be filling it.
So far we’ve made it clear that the right way to attract the best applicants is to write a job description that is inviting, compelling, and inspiring. But what are the components of an exciting job description?
Let’s dive into the key points to consider when writing a job description that will attract the best applicants.
1. Be clear on what you need now, but also look ahead
Consider what is best for the organization in the short and long run before developing the job description. In some circumstances, contracting a freelance contractor to fix an issue may be required; in other cases, hiring an employee for long-term growth may be more appropriate.
Sometimes recruiting someone who will start at the bottom of the learning curve and progress quickly may be expedient. This would be someone with a high degree of job engagement, contentment, and productivity as they go up the curve into high competency. At other times, a more experienced person would make a better fit.
2. Keep it simple and straightforward
Keep it short and sweet — according to LinkedIn, most people will read only the first two sentences of a post before deciding whether or not they should click through. So make sure that what you include in your opening lines is relevant and interesting.
The best job descriptions are clear and concise with no fluff or jargon. That doesn't mean they're boring, it just means that candidates will be able to scan them quickly and easily understand what the employer is looking for in an applicant. If they can get through your entire job post in less than 20 seconds, you've done a good job. Make sure your job description doesn't exceed four paragraphs. It also helps to keep it conversational rather than too formal.
Your goal is to provide enough information so that applicants can determine if they're qualified for the role, not bore them into submission. Don't try to make it into a novel, just write down the most relevant facts about the job, including any educational requirements, salary range, and benefits offered.
3. Use action verbs and strong adjectives
Describe what makes this position unique and different from others like it in your industry or field of work. What qualities do you look for in an ideal candidate? What would they bring to the job that others won't? Use strong verbs and descriptive adjectives to describe what makes this position desirable.
Verbs such as "create," "drive" and "manage" show that the person in this role is expected to get things done independently rather than simply follow orders from above. They also make your descriptions sound more exciting.
In addition, you should also consider what makes your company a great place to work in general. Does your company have great benefits? Is it fun or exciting? Is there room for growth? Are there opportunities for travel? There are many things that make a company attractive, so be sure that you include all of these things in your job descriptions.
4. Use specific keywords
Search engines use words like "software developer" or "data scientist" to find matching ads on their site. Make sure you include these keywords (along with ones related directly to your business) so that potential candidates can easily find your listing by using their preferred search engine or on career development platforms like Fuzu.
5. Make sure it's honest
Don't exaggerate your company's benefits or compensation package just to attract more applicants — it will only backfire when you have to tell applicants that they either aren't qualified or won't be paid what they were expecting. Also, be sure not to embellish your role or responsibilities in an effort to make them seem more important than they really are.
6. Be specific about what you want
If there are certain things that are essential for success in the position, then let applicants know upfront. That way, you can weed out applicants who aren't a good fit for those requirements and hopefully save both parties time. You don't need to list every little detail about what someone will do day-to-day in their role, but if there are certain things that are non-negotiable, then include them in the description so you get exactly what you're looking for.
7. Include details about what makes the role unique and interesting
You can include things like company location or industry focus. If you are in a rapidly growing industry with great opportunities ahead, you might want to briefly state it in the job description.
8. Include details of the impact of the role on different stakeholders
How will the role affect customers? Coworkers? Other departments within your company? If there are multiple positions available within one department, mention how each role is different from the others in terms of day-to-day responsibilities and career path opportunities.
Conclusion
Job descriptions are a key part of the hiring process. They can help you define the kind of person you want to hire and attract the best applicants. By writing a compelling job description, you can make it easier for candidates to find your job postings and apply to your positions. This article provides several pointers on how to do this.
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