When a company asks us to assist with their recruiting needs, it’s often because they need help reaching a wider talent pool. But there’s one thing they don’t typically ask for help with, although they should: improving their job postings.
It’s a common story. A client will tell me, “We’re posting our openings all over the place, but we’re getting inundated with low-quality applicants. Where else should we be advertising? We must be missing something.”
They think they’re fishing in the wrong waters, and that if they could only access some unknown, hidden honey hole, the right candidates would magically start biting. But it’s not where they’re fishing that’s the problem. It’s the bait.
Job postings, aka job ads, are like a lure that appeals to a certain type of fish–or, in our case, a certain type of candidate. It’s specific to their needs, easy for them to understand, and enticing, so when they come across it, getting them to bite and reeling them in is relatively effortless. When we work with our clients the description and selling points of the role are among the first things we consider. A frustrating and drawn out search can often turn into an efficient one simply by digging in and creating a better, more concise job description.
So, with that in mind, let’s take a close look at why it needs to be an essential part of your staffing strategy…and then I’ll share how you can make yours significantly better.
Why Are Job Descriptions So Important?
To attract the right candidate
Too many companies aim to cast a wide net (sorry, I can’t seem to get away from the fishing metaphors) with broad, vague job descriptions. But instead of hoping to attract as many candidates as possible so you can find the right person among them, what you should be doing with your job descriptions is filtering the wrong people out.
Compelling and precise descriptions help candidates quickly decide whether A) they can succeed in a role and B) They want to pursue it. If these two things are true, it makes for a candidate worth talking to. If not, it’s best for them to keep looking, which is why it’s so important to include descriptive detail in your job posts.
To set clear expectations
One of the biggest reasons new hires wind up unhappy is that the job doesn’t match what they were sold during the hiring process. Hiring mismatches result in low morale and premature turnover, both of which hurt your operations.
Clear job descriptions give candidates a proper understanding of what the role will be like and what’s expected of them so there are no unpleasant surprises after they come on board.
Assess performance
Because a good job description clearly defines a role and sets expectations for satisfactory performance, it’s a great benchmarking tool for employee reviews. The job posting offers a framework on which to assess a candidate’s first 30, 60, and 90 days in the role, and to measure their growth after that.
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Tips for Creating Great Job Postings
1. Lead with a strong hook
Your first few sentences should be the strongest writing in your job description. The hook is the first thing a job seeker will see and will compel great candidates to keep reading, so it pays to take the time to get it right.
Give an overview of the position in plain but descriptive language, avoiding generic statements.
Boring: Seeking a mid-level copywriter with four years of experience.
Better: Seeking a dedicated copywriter and skilled editor who fully understands the power of well-constructed messaging across all channels. You have a firm grasp of voice and tone and know how to make it apparent in different types of content, from user comms to email nurture campaigns to web copy.
The ‘better’ example is a hook from a job description posted by the financial services firm Stripe. I love it because it conveys exactly what the applicant will be doing (writing and editing) and incorporates the required skills (command of voice and tone, experience creating content for a variety of channels). It’s anything but generic and if I were an applicant, it’d make me want to look closer.
2. Narrow down the essential requirements
Here’s another place where lots of companies go wrong: they list way too many skills and qualifications as being “required.” In reality, most of them are “preferred” or “desirable” traits rather than necessities to be able to do the job.
When you fail to narrow down your list of requirements to what’s ACTUALLY required, you’ll lose a lot of great applicants who think they don’t have what it takes. And, you’ll still get a slew of applications from underqualified people applying en masse, so you’re not doing yourself any favors!
So, edit your required qualifications. Also, consider dropping rigid education requirements. We’ve seen many Fortune 500 companies start loosening degree requirements or eliminating them entirely in favor of skill-based hiring.
Related: How to Use Skill Based Hiring to Build a Stronger Workforce
3. Focus on outcomes rather than duties
While some roles, especially entry-level ones, may necessitate fixed job duties, the reality is that many mid-level and senior positions offer much more room for leeway over how the job is done.
Most hiring managers I’ve worked with agree that an employee’s results are more important than the nitty-gritty of how they accomplish them, and we can use this to our advantage in job descriptions.
When possible, frame your descriptions around the outcomes you’re looking for the right candidate to achieve rather than listing out the mundane day-to-day tasks associated with a role. Here’s an example to illustrate the difference.
Boring:
- Research laws and regulations
- Maintain a calendar of court dates and hearings
- Answer phones and greet guests
Better:
- Support a team of six attorneys in providing thorough and effective counsel
- Provide a welcoming environment and efficient experience for clients
Outcome-based job descriptions attract stronger talent because they signal flexibility and autonomy in how a job is performed–two factors great candidates are looking for. Focusing on results also keeps employees motivated and engaged while accomplishing the goal of setting clear expectations for performance.
Related: How to Write a Job Description to Attract Top Candidates
4. Provide the information candidates want to know
Don’t be cagey. Candidates want to know how much the job pays and whether it’s in the office, remote, or hybrid. Include relevant details that might deter some candidates, like if it’s an overnight shift or is commission-based.
Remember: we’re filtering people out as much as we are drawing them in. You’re only creating more work for yourself in the long run (and providing a poor candidate experience) if you try to pull a bait-and-switch by omitting key details. One client came to us with high turnover in their IT department because they insisted on describing a low-level role in a way that made it sound much more glamorous. They were wasting time and money constantly backfilling staff because they were afraid to describe the position accurately up front. We gave them the same advice we’re giving you here: Be honest.
But what about negative details? What if a position requires working weekends or holidays, for example, but you’re sure that your attractive perks make up for some tough hours? Say so. Bad news early is always good news! Use language that acknowledges the realities of the position while highlighting the many rewarding aspects that make the job appealing regardless of its less-than-perfect aspects. If you can’t think of any pros to outweigh the cons, maybe you need to step back and reconsider the role itself.
5. Eliminate cliches
‘Ninja,’ ‘passionate,’ and ‘work hard, play hard’ come to mind. These job description buzzwords have been used so often that they make talented workers roll their eyes. They also waste space without saying anything meaningful–what is an ‘IT ninja,’ anyway?
Instead of saying ‘passionate marketer,’ describe the results you’re looking for. ‘Drive a 30% increase in new leads’ is a specific ask that speaks to the required skills and qualifies the right individuals.
6. Be mindful of biased language
Much of the language we use in everyday life can have some unintended consequences when used in job descriptions, excluding applicants we don’t mean to exclude.
Biased: Spokesman (gendered)
Better: Spokesperson
Biased: Digital native (ageist and also a cliche)
Better: Proficient with a wide range of digital technology
Biased: Native English speaker (culturally problematic, excludes candidates from diverse backgrounds)
Better: Fluent English speaker
It’s a great idea to have your job descriptions edited by someone well-versed in biased language, since they’ll catch words and phrases you might not even realize could be excluding certain individuals.
7. Describe the company culture
Company culture is a major factor in whether a candidate will be a strong fit, and yet too many hiring managers wait to address it until the job interview or worse, don’t address it at all. Start at the start with culture by incorporating it into your job postings.
Here’s a great example from Pacific Cycle, which owns famed cycling brands Schwinn and Mongoose:
“We enjoy what we do here at Pacific Cycle, and riding a bike is all about having fun. By cultivating an open, informal, and optimistic work culture, we make easier and more genuine connections with our colleagues, consumers, and partners.”
It’s specific and unique, making it easy to understand what type of environment you’d be working in if you joined this organization.
8. Highlight employee benefits
Focus not just on what you want the candidate to do for you, but what you can do for the candidate. What’s in it for them? I’d argue that this value proposition should be right up there with the hook in terms of the part of the job description that you spend the most time on.
Call out your benefits package, perks, commitment to growth, development and advancement opportunities, flexible work options, ability to make a meaningful impact–anything that sets you apart from every other company that’s competing to hire the same candidate. To give you an idea of what to focus on, we have a whole list of in-demand perks and benefits here.
9. Use the right keywords
So far we’ve talked about the meat of your job descriptions–the specific details that will lure in great candidates and get them excited to apply. But if you want candidates to even find your postings in the first place, you have to do some tactical work, too.
Keywords will help your openings get indexed by search engines and discovered by candidates who are looking for what you’re offering. Here are some of the most important keywords to make sure are included
- Job title (including different phrasing, like ‘office admin’ and ‘administrative assistant’)
- Skills
- Industry
- Location
- Credentials (CPA, MBA, etc.)
- Work type (part-time, full-time, remote, hybrid)
If you have an SEO specialist on staff, it can be helpful to work in tandem with them to fine tune your job descriptions to optimize their visibility.
Related: How to Use SEO for Job Postings to Increase Visibility
As you can see, I don’t take job descriptions lightly. They’re an aspect of the hiring process that has made a big difference for many of our clients who were struggling to get the right candidates in the door. Like I said earlier, you have to look at your bait.
If you could use help refining your job descriptions, postings, or any other part of your recruitment strategy my team at 4 Corner Resources can be of service.
Get in touch here and let’s talk about your hiring needs.
