How to Optimize Your Job Descriptions
Are you having a hard time getting quality candidates applying to your positions? It might be time to adjust your job descriptions. Today, we are discussing job description optimization.
Who do you want to attract?
Knowing your target audience is not only for job seekers, as mentioned in our previous blog. When we write job descriptions, we need to know who we are writing them for and who we want to attract.
Start by discovering the basic demographics. To name a few: where do the candidates live, what is their highest level of education, what industries have they worked in? Then ask yourself the primary skills you are looking for and what day-to-day tasks there will be.
Once you have a decent-sized list of what you are looking for, pick out keywords to add to the job description and title.
Brief, clear, and concise
When the description is too long, some things get lost in translation, and it is harder to tell what the primary skills and requirements are. Think about it: As hiring managers and recruiters, we do not like to read lengthy resumes — why would a candidate want to read an extensive job description?
Add headings and bullet points to make it easier to read, but the primary skills and requirements towards the top, and keep the sentences brief, clear, and concise.
Do not leave things up for interpretation. If the position is only temporary, specify it in the title. Specify the skills you want so candidates know if they can do it or not. Do not use boilerplate language when describing the important skills for a position (e.g., communication, computer skills), most people have these skills, or believe they do. Be specific.
Mention the perks
If there are benefits, list them! Now, more than ever, people are looking to work for companies that offer them more than just a paycheck. They want a 401k, health insurance, a signing bonus, etc. If you provide any benefits, list them. Doing this is especially important if the salary range is somewhat low — sometimes job seekers will accept lower pay if the company makes up for it in other areas.
Before the candidate is selling their skills to us, we are selling our company to them. Explain and emphasize why someone would want to work for you — is your company forward-thinking? Do you offer career development programs? How do you foster growth in your employees?
When employees enjoy coming to work and do more than their day-to-day tasks, morale, productivity, and satisfaction increase. If you do not currently have any extra-curricular programs or you are not actively looking for ways to increase employee engagement and satisfaction, start today! Click here for employee engagement tips.
If you need more tips on how to write an effective job description, or if you're looking for a company to provide you with high-quality candidates, contact us today!
