Job description provides your first opportunity to connect to candidates suitable for your vacancy. This article aims to give some guidance on how to write a job description.
A job description that is both engaging and inclusive which prompts the best candidates to apply reducing the time taken to fill the vacancy can often prove to be the most effective method. Writing a good job description is simple and straightforward if you follow a few simple rules:
Keep the job title simple, short and to the point.
Don’t advertise for an Electrical Engineer if all you want is someone to complete PAT testing or ask for a chef when what you really need is a kitchen porter!
You need to engage the candidate.
The best job descriptions are professional and relatable. Don’t overuse jargon, ensure that the description is clear and accurate.
Explain what the job entails.
Describe the typical day at work. Break the job responsibilities into short clear job duties. So rather than advertising the role as Sales and Marketing manager, if you want someone to look after your digital marketplace, you need to describe the actual specific job responsibilities:
Manage website, blogs, social media and emails
Measure ROI and KPI
Regularly review and monitor all social media presence of the company.
It’s important that everyone within the Recruitment cycle is on the same page. So, agree the Job Description with all parties before you start.
Why should someone want your job?
A candidate will need to be certain that taking a job with your company means that they will benefit in a particular way. So, explain the benefits and perks available.
You might be offering and enhanced holiday entitlement, access to training provision, clothing vouchers, travel concessions, childcare options. Whatever it is you need to state it and explain why it is important.
You also need to clearly state what the role will do in relation to the overall performance of the company.
Promote the Company
The Job Description is your opportunity to give the candidate a view of your company’s culture. Make sure that the candidate knows all the reasons why they should join your company.
What not to include in Job Descriptions.
Try not to use discriminatory language, incorporate your Equal Opportunities Policy by way of disclaimer and try and avoid unconscious bias in the language that you use in the Job Description. Try to ensure that your description is gender neutral where possible and make use of the various tools that exist.
Try not to ask for too much. It will put people off answering the advert, so simply state what the role entails and explain the exact nature of the role. Think about what you and your company regard as ‘must-haves’.
Try and write the description in a positive way, don’t tell people why they won’t get the job tell them what they need to have to apply for the role, this gives everyone reading a more positive experience and reflects better on the Company.
The Job Description is an essential tool and needs to be regarded as such. Make it clear, thought provoking and unambiguous as to what type of person you require and the qualifications and experience that is needed.
