Have you ever been on a road trip, your GPS loses its connection, and the highway signs are hard to read? You may have to slow down and double back because you missed your next turn, or you might even have ended up lost.
This happens all the time with job descriptions.
Candidates who would be a perfect fit for your company may never apply because of an unclear or (we hate to say it) boring job description. On the other side, unqualified candidates who are nowhere near a fit may flood you with applications.
Tighten up your job descriptions to drive the best candidates into your hiring funnel.
Landing top talent takes 110% of your best efforts. If you want your job description to do what it’s supposed to do- attract high-quality candidates who fit well in the role and your company’s culture- make sure to do these 5 things.
#1: Keep Your Ideal Candidate in Mind
If you haven’t pinpointed and visualized your perfect candidate, how can you expect your job description to appeal to that person? Talk to the other hiring stakeholders and build a persona you’re trying to recruit. Tailor the job description to what that specific person would like and have to offer. What will make your ideal candidate respond? Leave out anything that isn’t geared specifically to your perfect hire.
#2: Write a Compelling, Descriptive Summary
Concise details help potential candidates decide to take action or move to the next job listing. For example, go beyond “detail-oriented” to explain HOW the role requires the candidate to be detail-oriented.
Spot-on descriptions help candidates see themselves doing the job. If they don’t offer the qualifications the description lays out, they’ll be less likely to apply…and you’ll save time not having to weed through unqualified resumes.
#3: Be Specific (About Responsibilities, Qualifications, etc)
Painting a bright picture of the job role may net you hundreds of resumes, but may end up causing “buyers remorse” in your applicants once they hear about the less-enticing elements of the job. One-sided descriptions are one of the common mistakes employers make during the hiring process.
In addition to being descriptive, your job description needs to be upfront and authentic. Does the role come with a heavy workload? Are there specific certification or education requirements? Is there required travel? Will the person need to work on weekends sometimes? Include those details in the job description. That way you don’t get to the third interview and have the candidate balk when they find out things about the job they perceive to be negative.
#4: Include a Salary Range and Best Perks
Companies sometimes avoid talking about salary in the job description because they don’t want to automatically lose applicants who think it’s not enough money. Bottom line is…go ahead and weed them out. If you’re offering a salary of $100,000 and the job candidate wants to make over $200,000, why waste your resources talking to that person?
By offering a salary range, you give the applicant an idea of whether the role is a fit for them and still have wiggle room during the negotiation phase of the hiring process.
#5: Describe the Company Culture
Your employer brand needs to showcase your company’s culture all the time. This means in your job descriptions, too.
In addition to the job duties and requirements, share insight into your company’s culture from the first candidate touch. A rich culture that practices compassionate leadership, that values their employees, and that gives back to the community is a big selling point to potential new employees.
Help your applicants get to know your company’s culture, and start measuring whether they would fit into it well, from the beginning. If they don’t see themselves thriving in the culture, they may bow out of the hiring process, which saves you time and resources. Plus, it allows you to spend more time cultivating candidates who are a good fit.
Partner with Talent Experts to Find Your Next Perfect Candidate
You may wonder how working with a staffing firm like Talent Experts can help you hire stronger job candidates. We keep a keen eye on the job market trends to help our employer clients find, attract, and land highly-qualified job candidates. Our 30+ years of combined experience has built a deep pool of ready-to-work talent that can cut down your time-to-fill for your open positions. Let us use our staffing expertise and unique, personalized approach to give you the competitive advantage during the hiring process!
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