Writing a job description is deceptively complicated. It is a completely essential part of seeking employees, but many do not realize how much influence it has over the hiring process. With a poorly crafted job posting, you may receive hundreds of resumes from candidates that are not qualified, or worse, receive none at all. There are specific techniques and approaches for how to write a job description that you need to have an understanding of. Study the following guide to get a better understanding of this process and improve your own success when hiring.
The Length Is Vital
You may be surprised to hear that the length of the job description is one of the most important aspects. If it is too long, even qualified candidates will become intimidated and choose not to apply, and if it there is not enough information, readers may become confused and apply even if they are not qualified. Unfortunately, with the shift from printed to digital job ads, there is a growing trend for them to become longer and longer. There is no exact number of requirements that will always work, however. Before you begin writing, you should analyze the job that you are offering and decide what the essential skills are. You should start with these core fundamentals. Afterward, you can add some preferences at the bottom that are clearly optional, but will help focus the expectations for those considering applying. Those that are familiar with how to write a job description typically recommend that you limit the fundamental requirements to seven or less.
Prioritize Attraction
It is always better to write a job posting in a positive manner. It is easy to fall into a mindset of having to place limitations to filter out unqualified individuals. In actuality, you should be making an effort to attract those that are highly qualified, instead of scaring others off. Every job description is going to include information about the company. This is your opportunity to emphasize the great aspects of the business. Make sure that it sounds like a location that people will actually want to work. It can also be very effective to include information about how beneficial it will be for candidates� careers to be hired. Finally, an element of how to write a job description that has especially powerful results is showing appreciation. It can be a challenge, but it is possible to hint at how much the company would benefit and appreciate finding a capable and talented individual to fill the role. Everyone wants to be special and feeling like they are fitting into a puzzle will really attract the most talented candidates.
Tactics
What are the actual methods used to write a job description? One tactic that many business owners have reported success with is to ask a manager to list the skills they desire for an employee in the position that is to be filled, possibly even without mentioning that it is for the job posting. This list should be analyzed to boil each skill down to its most basic form and eliminate all redundant points. This will form the core of the job description. Others have included a requirement with the posting for all applicants to pitch themselves in a short e-mail. This added step filters out many of the least dedicated individuals that would apply anyway. Regardless of what method you employ, the content of the job description should contain certain elements. You should always think about what keywords the most qualified candidates will be using to search for employment opportunities. You should include these words in your description. Do not forget action-oriented and technical terms. These descriptions will help focus the type of person that applies, but try to avoid clich�s, such as �hard worker�, �self-motivated�, or �team player�.
Be Deliberate
The fact of the matter is that the position you are trying to get filled is going to be unique from any other that job description experts will have experience with. There is never going to be a method that matches your situation exactly. This means that when you are considering how to write a job description, you should always analyze what unique properties you are looking for. No matter what your goals are, think about how to reach them and how the content you are including will advance you toward them.
Learn More
These tips have been focused on just a small part of the process of hiring talent. For more information about how to write a job description, improve success when hiring, and other areas of business, be sure to check out the other articles provided by Mighty Recruiter.