Click me! Click me! Best practices for writing stand-out job descriptions

Finding quality people is a constant challenge for businesses large and small. In today’s fierce competition for attracting talent, one advantage you can give yourself is being able to write job descriptions that stand out and drive applications. A description for an open role is essentially a first touchpoint for job seekers. For you, it’s an opportunity to make a good first impression and serves as a very, very brief introduction to your brand. A good job description can weed out the unqualified candidates and attract the qualified workers you want.

Start with a job analysis

Before you start writing the most compelling job posting in the history of recruiting, you need to do your homework. A job analysis is basically a deep dive into understanding what the role requires—the tasks to be performed and the skills required. A great way to accomplish this is by talking with the people who will be working with the new hire, managers, coworkers and direct reports (if the role is managerial). You’ll not only get the specific job-fit information, but also get an idea of what to look for in a good culture-fit.

You should also research how industry competitors are recruiting for the position. What are they saying in their job postings?  How does the compensation you offer compare? Even if you’ve hired for this role before, or even performed it, it’s a good idea to always do a job analysis. As business demands change, so can the responsibilities of individual roles.

The style of your substance

As you put together the information for your post, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. Aim to be as specific as possible about your role. The more specific you can be, the fewer less-qualified candidates will apply. Be transparent and up front about the position. Will some weekend work be required? Are you a smoke-free workplace? Disclosing this information up front will save you and potential hires time.

Use non-biased inclusive language to promote diversity and inclusion. Unconscious gender and racial bias in the workplace extends to job postings, too. Unintentionally alienating people makes your post less effective. And on the flip side, choosing your words carefully can be very effective. As an example, research has shown that job listings with gender-neutral wording get 42% more responses.  

While your post needs to cover all the important points, keep things as concise as possible. Make it scannable, use bullets and avoid long, dense paragraphs. Recent data from LinkedIn showed that “shorter job posts (1-300 words) had significantly higher-than-average apply rates per view (the number of applications the job post got divided by the number of views).”

Job title and the essentials

When coming up with a job title, consider how job seekers will be searching the internet and the terms or keywords they may enter. The title for your role should be specific. If you’re hiring for a “cashier,” don’t opt for something generic like “team associate.” You should use everyday terms rather than internal company-speak. It’s also smart to avoid getting too creative with the title—avoid words like “rock star” or “whiz” and other clever descriptors that people wouldn’t ordinarily use in search.

There are a few other primary pieces of information that candidates will want to know right away. You should state the location of the role. Be as specific as you can—a branch, a zip code, a city, on a bus or rail line. Knowing this will give candidates an idea of the commute (and possible transportation expenses) that may be required. You should also indicate the type of position, whether it’s full-time or part-time, and you should list the hourly pay rate or salary range.

About the role

The purpose of this section is to clearly and specifically tell a job seeker what they would be doing. Using a bulleted list of duties and responsibilities is ideal. There’s also an opportunity here to explain how the role ties into the greater purpose of the business. Workers want to be paid for their work, but they also want it to have meaning. You can include information about upcoming projects the new hire would be part of. Plus, it’s often useful to include links to videos that help bring the role and greater team to life—on-the-job footage, a message from the hiring manager or quick interviews with team members.

About your business

Use this section to briefly sell your company. Describe what you’re all about—your history, your brand, your values and your company culture. This is another chance to use video links to supplement your posting. Have you gotten great reviews in the local press or through online sites like Yelp or Glassdoor? Don’t be shy about linking to them as well. You can also promote your company benefits and perks.

Requirements and qualifications

This section is key to helping you tease out the potentially qualified candidates and reduce the number of likely unqualified candidates who might apply. It’s where you call out basic requirements like having a valid driver’s license or a high school diploma, and your expectations for previous work experience, specific skills and proficiency with workplace tools. You can choose to list qualifications as “minimum” and “preferred.” But note that some candidates will (rightly) interpret “preferred” as being optional, and you may receive a lot of lower-quality applications. 

Make applying simple

Your posting should make it evidently clear and easy to apply. Include a button or link to your website or careers page, an applicant tracking system or an email contact. If this isn’t technologically feasible, share a “send application to” email address. As a courtesy, always be sure to thank applicants and confirm receipt of their application—either through an automated system that redirects to a confirmation page or by manual correspondence.

A job description should include enough information to explain the role and why someone would want to work at your business. But remember, you’re not writing the Gettysburg Address. Shorter posts can lead to higher apply rates, so really consider what’s most important. Being meticulous about crafting a post may seem like a big hassle, especially when there are a million other things to do. But it’s worth the investment of your time. Are good people hard to find? Maybe. But maybe, they just need to find you.