Job descriptions have always fascinated me. Done well, they can attract the right candidate. But done poorly (which happens too often) they seem to repel the best or attract too many unqualified applicants.
I asked some recruiters to comment on what they felt were the elements of a good job description templates. Here’s what they told me;
Sell the job. Sell the company. If relocation, sell the location. Describe a "day in the life" Explain the 'why behind the what".
3 R’s - Role, Responsibilities, Rewards
Why Work Here…and also the honest expectations of the job.
Any job that has 50+ items of what they're looking for out of me, but next to nothing about what they have to offer is a red flag.
How will this role benefit the prospect's career.
A strong hook, role overview, key responsibilities, BQs + preferred qualifications, and details on total rewards package.
Who (requirements), what, where (remote or on site), when, for how much, any benefits/diversity. It’s not hard. Candidates don’t care about the fluff and neither should you.
Recruiter Erin Cofone also said this;
I’ve developed a template for myself over the years. The main summary starts with 3-5 sentences at most. Essentially the hiring manager’s sales pitch. I follow that with a series of about 5 bullet points (the “in this role, you will” section).
These bullet points are key projects that one in the role could expect to take on - things they could do immediately and stretch projects that show growth opportunities. I do this because I know a lot of people skip the start and read the bullet points first.
And then I keep qualifications to 5-7 bullet points. Max. Preferably 5. That’s only what is absolutely necessary to do the job. With maybe a “plus” thrown in there if there’s space. No soft skills that we can interview for.
All is written to the reader. I want readers starting to visualize themselves in the role when they read my ad. They’re never meant to be formal job descriptions like those you’d see in a HR file. They’re marketing pieces to sell our role, team, and company.
Other Thoughts
All the above are great suggestions for creating an efficient job description that works. One element I have always advocated for is a section on who your boss will be. It could be as simple enough as you will report to [insert job title] which gives the candidate more context around who will manage them.
I think more companies should write them with the candidate in mind. What’s in it for them to apply to your company? You need to get them excited about what they will learn/gain from joining your organization.
Also, consider hiring a freelance copywriter to revamp your job descriptions. They can do a better job at helping you tell a story with words that make an impact. I remember a job I applied to once that really spoke to me and I later found out they had hired a writer to craft it. It worked, because I ended up applying and getting that job.
Managing Your Job Descriptions
Software company JDXpert says job description management also plays an important role in this effort. By establishing a reliable source of truth for job information via job descriptions, companies and employees can benefit, improving the landscape for all stakeholders and keeping business growth on track.
Job descriptions are essential to that change. Here are some of the benefits of accurate and well-managed job descriptions:
Improve retention. Job descriptions help to alleviate employee burnout by detailing what is and is not expected.
Inform existing employees of opportunities. Hiring from within reduces the risk of failure and elevates high performers into career positions.
Maximize HR investments. Job descriptions help to ensure all areas invested in (or planned) during 2022 are not wasted.
Simplify job description management. A software-driven job description management process simplifies the process, enabling transparency and collaboration.
Inform accurate compensation, helping companies attract new candidates, retain top performers, and ensure business continuity and continued innovation.
In an era where talent is hard to find more companies need to step up their job description game. These days candidates CHOOSE YOU, so you better give them a good reason to do so. The job description is the first place to start.