Templates for Hiring Pros
How to Write Great Job Descriptions That Land You Great Hires
Introduction
In the War for Talent, with all the job options out there, today’s candidates are harder and harder to source and engage. That means your job descriptions for open roles at your company need to be on point, easy to digest and sell both the position and your organization!
With a good job title and description, you’ll:
- Make candidates aware of your open jobs and your organization.
- Target candidates right for the role — and avoid the headache and time-consuming process of wading through unqualified resumes.
- Maximize your recruiting budget by attracting ideal-fit candidates and dissuading the less qualified from applying.
- Avoid “Buyer’s Remorse” from hires who regret coming on board, based on what they thought they knew about your company.
Job Description Template
To drive interest, engage candidates and leverage your company brand and culture to encourage great candidates to apply, follow these guidelines. In short, tailor the job description to both your target candidate and fit for your company culture.
JOB TITLE
Use real-life keywords like “Sales Executive,” “Human Resources Director,” “Social Media Specialist” or “Database Programmer” — this will help place your job opening in front of more job seekers.
Avoid using weak or eccentric keywords like “Guru,” “Superstar” or “Hero” — job seekers are less likely to use those in their search.
Include specific keywords that can be easily picked by search engines and queries. For example, “SQL Database Programmer” or “B2B Social Media Specialist.”
LOCATION OF ROLE
List city and state — and country, if appropriate.
Note if role is at company headquarters, a division or overseas office.
Don’t forget to play up a short commute, local transit options or Work From Home (WFH) policies.
ROLE DETAILS
Describe how the role ties into your company mission and culture — this will help you attract candidates who will do well in your workplace.
Mention exciting or challenging projects candidates will work on — compensation alone is not enough to woo today’s candidates.
Include links to videos that showcase the department or team the role reports to.
When including role compensation, make sure it’s competitive by checking average ranges on sites like Glassdoor.
SHOWCASE YOUR COMPANY
Describe your company culture, benefits and perks — give candidates an idea what it’s like to work at your organization.
Link to videos that offer an “inside look” at your company culture.
Link to great reviews of your company on Glassdoor.
A Glassdoor Employer Profile offers easy-to-install widgets to highlight top reviews of your company.
REQUIREMENTS
Provide minimum job qualifications and skills.
Be judicious—too many or an extensive laundry list many may deter great candidates from applying (especially younger applicants like new grads.)
Link to relevant videos about the role, team or department.
Clearly settle on your “minimum” and “preferred” qualifications. Candidates can view the latter as optional or a non-requirement, which can ultimately lead to lower-quality applications.
Don’t leave candidates guessing what to do next!
Include a button or link to your Careers Page, Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or email contact.
Ideally, have only a single How to Apply flow. The benefits include streamlined candidate experience, tighter candidate tracking and better ROI measurement.
Upon application submission, point candidates to a formal Thank You page and/or send a confirmation email acknowledging their action.
Allow job candidates to opt-in to your talent networks — even if they aren’t hired for one job, they may be right for another.
STYLE AND FORMATTING
Avoid dense, lengthy paragraphs.
Use bullet points.
Sprinkle in subheads between sections for easy scanning.
You’ll never go wrong keeping things direct, short and simple — especially for job seekers using their mobile devices to search for jobs.
For Further Inspiration
To fine-tune your job descriptions, you’ll often find the best advice simply by checking the competition or seeing what’s popular online.
- Google the titles of your open positions to learn how others position their roles.
- Do competitive intelligence! See what roles your nearest competitors are promoting and how they sell their culture and organization.
- See what jobs candidates are clicking on most on your Glassdoor profile.
Winning Job Description
GLASSDOOR SALES ACCOUNT POSITION
Job Description Checklist
- Use straightforward job titles.
- Be succinct. Avoid long paragraphs, use bullets and add subtitles—shorter is better for mobile.
- Showcase your company culture, benefits and how the role ties into your mission.
- Describe exciting projects candidates may work on.
- Link to videos and reviews that describe your company, department or team.
- Include How to Apply instructions.
Top 5 Factors Job Seekers Consider Before Accepting a Job Offer:1
- Salary and Compensation
- Career Growth Opportunities
- Work-Life Balance
- Location/Commute
- Company Culture and Values
Citations
- Glassdoor Survey, October 2014