Is it time to change how you write job descriptions??
By Brita Long for Insight Global
It wasn’t that long ago that job seekers were checking "help wanted” ads in the Sunday paper. They’d sit down with the employment section and a pen, circling potential matches. Newspapers charged by the word or line, so employers ofte wrote brief job descriptions that required decoding.?
Fast forward to today. Job seekers scroll through online job boards daily, scanning dozens of job ads for positions that meet their skills and experience.??
The process can be mind-numbing.??
While unlimited space allows for detailed job descriptions, they are both time-consuming to write well and often challenging to read.?
In the digital landscape, your job ad or job description is more than an informational posting. This is the first interaction between your company and a potential new hire. It’s a chance to market your company to top talent.??
Read on to discover how job description trends are evolving and how to update job descriptions to attract qualified candidates.?And, hey, if you just want to skip to the good part, schedule time to get a free job description consultation with our expert hiring team.
Job descriptions as marketing copy?
Employers are not required to provide job descriptions, and in the past, many people were hired without them. However, as the job search has moved increasingly online, a job description has taken on another purpose: marketing copy.?
While you might choose to write a detailed internal job description that includes absolutely everything, you want to focus on the essentials for a job ad, or external job description.??
When updating a job description, ask if it includes the following:?
While you want to include these details, you also want to write them concisely, formatted for easy scanning.?
Current trends in job descriptions?
As the workplace evolves, so do the job descriptions. As organizations need to be more responsive and flexible, they naturally encourage employees to have more autonomy and adaptability. This includes taking on tasks and areas of responsibility that may not have been in the original job description.?
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Allow room for change and growth?
Businesses have always grown and evolved, but the rise of digital technology has accelerated the pace of change. While this presents challenges, it also creates opportunities. With thoughtful and strategic upskilling and reskilling , employers can maintain a high level of fluidity while providing employees with valuable growth opportunities.?
Capture the core elements?
Rather than a comprehensive and complete account of a job’s duties and responsibilities, the current trend in job descriptions is to capture the core elements of the job. This approach is also consistent with today’s reality: jobs are not static. They are evolving and can change.?
Job description trends reflect a shift in management to a more people-centered approach.??
Updating job descriptions?
Here are three considerations while updating job descriptions to help you attract the right candidates, capture the core elements, and allow for the flexibility today’s world requires.?
Keep it concise and scannable?
As you write and review your job description, think of the tired job seeker scrolling through postings. Be direct, keep it simple, include essential information, and make sure it’s easy to scan.?
Avoid clichés?
If a competitor could copy and paste your job description and use it for themselves, you aren’t sharing what is unique and compelling about your company. Avoid typical job posting clichés and focus on what makes your company and this position stand out from the crowd.?
Use keywords?
Write your job description for candidates, but keep SEO in mind. What words and phrases will an experienced and skilled applicant use to search for jobs? Be sure to include those in your description.?
Be accurate?
A job description is not a contract, but employers and employees can use them to bolster their arguments, including in legal matters . Employers have used them to assess employees’ performance, including in support of a decision to terminate, and employees have also used job descriptions to limit the scope of their responsibilities or request more pay as their duties expand. With that in mind, you want to write job descriptions that accurately describe the required skills, job duties, and expectations for each role.??
Write job descriptions with an impact?
Your well-written job description helps attract the right candidates, initiate the relationship on the right foot, and set the new hire on a path to success. If the idea of developing job descriptions is daunting or you’re tempted to ask ChatGPT to write them for you, we can help with a free job description consultation .?
Our experienced recruiters talk to candidates and employers every day. We know the right keywords to use, what applicants want to see, and how to format your job description to get the most attention. Even more importantly, we can help you get to the heart of what you’re really looking for in your new hire. Don’t wait. Connect with our team today .?