Writing a concise, precise, and compelling job description is an essential skill for managers, recruiters, HR professionals, and anyone with similar responsibilities. A good job description should be widely visible, narrow down your applicant pool to the most qualified, and inspire those top-tier candidates to follow through with their applications.
The best job descriptions do much of the hard work of recruiting before you communicate with any candidates in person. When you learn to write effective job descriptions, you will build a stronger team and make better use of everyone’s time.
Writing high-quality job descriptions relies on an understanding of how communication works in the era of the internet and an appreciation for what your company does including why specific roles matter. If you write job descriptions, keep these best practices in mind.
Know Whom You’re Looking For
The better you understand your role, and what sort of candidate can best fill it and create success, the more effective job description you’re likely to write.
To draw the most qualified candidates and find people you will love to work with, start picturing your ideal applicant and what success looks like. Be as detailed as you can, addressing all the specifics of background, skills, experience, and attitude. Then, write your ad in reverse, as a description of that person.
When doing this exercise, it may help to use some of the formulas that marketers apply to crafting a “buyer persona.”
Regarding requirements and qualifications, make sure you distinguish between those that are truly “required” and those that are simply “nice to have,” or can be learned on the job. You may find a less seasoned candidate who makes up for it with an eagerness to learn.
Soup Up Your SEO
The majority of candidates who respond to an online job listing will discover it using search engine technology. Therefore, in order to communicate with people, you must first communicate with the robots and algorithms that drive online search.
Do some keyword research and make sure you’re using the most common and descriptive terms in your industry. Spend an hour learning the basics of SEO, and it will pay off in much wider exposure for your job ads and attention from more qualified applicants.
Be Mindful of Mobile
More and more people are searching for jobs using mobile devices, and this worldwide trend will only continue.
Therefore, when crafting your ads, make sure that you employ mobile-first copywriting techniques. Keep it short, break information up into small chunks, and place the most important information near the top of the description.
Also, be sure that your postings look good on various browsers and at various screen sizes. The web is constantly adapting, but it always pays to check before you put your job descriptions out into the world.
Stand Out
Considering the immense volume of job listings a typical job seeker is likely to see, your most crucial challenge when writing a job description is to be eye-catching and compelling, and to spark enthusiasm with your ideal candidate.
At Artisan Creative, we have over two decades of experience in matching top-tier creative professionals with opportunities they love. Contact us today to take the first step toward making your ideal match.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the 465th issue of our a.blog.