How to Write Job Descriptions that Get Results

Want to find more qualified job applicants for your open positions? Start with a job description that does the heavy lifting. Discover how to write compelling job descriptions to find the right employees for your business.?

Why is a good job listing important??

Good job listings can save your team time and resources. Plus, winning job listings help attract the right talent. According to Glassdoor, the average company in the United States spends about $4,000 to hire a new employee. When you’re spending all that time and money, you want to find the right candidate the first time. A great job description can help.?

According to Textio, you only have six seconds to grab a job seeker’s attention before they move on. Here are some tips on how to create job descriptions that will help grab their attention and hold it.?

Use engaging language

Your job post is an advertisement for why someone would be interested in that job. Treat it like an advertisement. Avoid using language that’s too formal or corporate jargon that distances the reader. Don’t be afraid to use informal language and connect to readers over their specific needs. Instead of saying “the ideal candidate,” or “applicants,” use “you” and “we,” to connect with them. Listings with strong “you” phrases have higher engagement.?

Clearly describe the job and hiring qualifications

Let potential candidates know what the job entails. Explain the day-to-day duties as specifically as possible. Instead of saying things like “Managing the marketing department,” provide clear steps on what managing a department would mean. Using specific terms like “Measure engagement on all social media accounts,” “In charge of managing all social media accounts,” “Creating social media strategy for clients,” provides a clearer overview of an applicant’s duties.?

Along with clearly laying out the day-to-day duties, let candidates know the qualifications needed for the job. Be careful not to list too many qualifications; you could turn away applicants who would be a good fit.?

Tell people why your company is a great place to work?

Along with explaining the job, you want to let applicants know why your company is a great place to work. What makes you stand out from similar companies? Do you have a fun company culture? Are you interested in providing great work/life balance? Do you offer a competitive salary and benefits like unlimited paid time off? Giving candidates a clear understanding of your company culture and the benefits of working there will help entice job seekers and let potential applicants know if they might be a good fit.?

Make it easy to read

After Textio analyzed more than 350 million job posts, they curated some tips to create job descriptions that are easier to read.?

1. Keep the word count between 300–700 words, with 600–700-word listings performing the best.?
2. Use shorter sentences. Try to keep sentences to 13 words or less.?
3. Structure your listing to be easy to read. Be sure you have good subheadings, paragraph breaks and bullet points. Data shows the listings that perform best include about one-third of the text in bullet-point form.?
4. Write locally, to appeal to the people in your market. Language that may work in New York City might not be as appealing to candidates in Denver.?
5. Use current language. Recycling old job posts from previous years won’t help you find the candidates you need. Pay attention to current language used in the industry and cultural shifts to use the proper language for your post.?

Be inclusive?

You want to encourage the best candidate pool possible. That means being careful not to turn great candidates away.?

According to ZipRecruiter, using neutral, non-gendered language will attract more candidates to your job posting. Male-biased words and terms like “strong,” “assertive” and “thrive in a competitive atmosphere” might turn off some female applicants. Also, female-biased terms like, “nurture and connect with customers” and “polite and pleasant style” could turn off male applicants.?

Use gender-neutral terms like “provide great customer service,” “a team focused on,” “exceptional” and “motivated” to attract candidates.??

Finally, be sure to emphasize your commitment to fair hiring practices. According to Textio data, job postings with an equal opportunity statement fill 10% faster, on average.?

Include a strong CTA

Every successful job description must have a strong call to action so your candidates know how to apply. Keep it short, simple and clear. For example, “email a cover letter and resume to Hiring Manager at hiring@companyname.com” lets them know what to send, who to send it to and where.?

Following these steps can help you get an inbox full of qualified applicants and make finding candidates just a little easier. Along with the right talent, you need the right business solutions in place to keep your business running smoothly. Go to www.wowforbusiness.com to find the business solutions you need.?