“We are looking for…”
Hiring Managers – do you really know what you are looking for?
We post a lot of job descriptions to their Open Jobs page. Most of them could be described as formulaic: we are looking for a ___________ to do ____________, reporting to _______________ with the following experience…
This is a concise, straight-forward approach informing potential candidates about what the role will entail and, more importantly, what’s required to apply.
But, if you’re not a recruiter who is used to writing job descriptions on a daily basis, it’s important to consider a few key items when writing your job description if you want to ensure you attract the perfect candidate:
Specificity
Don’t list every single task your candidate needs to perform from day one. Instead, identify the key responsibilities your candidate MUST be willing (and qualified) to do daily. Remember it will take any new hire time to get up to speed in a new role. Your aim is to identify potential employees who can minimize that learning curve as much as possible.
Titles
Make sure that the title you list is exactly what your company needs. Remember to choose one that portrays an accurate description of the role, despite what internal policies require the position be named. If it’s a new role for your organization, do a little research to see how the job market is searching for this kind of position. You want to make sure talent can find your opportunity.
Keywords
With SEO and Social Media playing a huge role in the job searches of today, it’s important to ensure that your job description will be seen by as many eyes as possible. Using accurate keywords and/or “buzzwords” throughout your job description will help increase its exposure. Don’t forget to include the titles of people this person will work with/report to, the industries or brands they will manage, the programs they will use or the trends they should be following.
Spread the Wealth
If you are seeking to fill more than one role, before you post, make sure you have thought about all the ways the work could be distributed. Maybe a different combination of skillsets could fit a more senior-level person and entry-level candidate, rather than two mid-level hires.
Requirements
Before you require a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, think about what skills that individual would have and whether someone without that degree might still have the skills you need. If a skill is “nice to have” but not “required” – make a point of noting the difference.
There are definitely some absolutes when hiring and only you can say what yours are. But with so many talented people ready and willing to work today, the clearer you are in your job descriptions, the more qualified your candidate pool will be.