What’s the secret to a great job description? Simplicity is key, as is clarity. Showing your company’s human side helps too.
The economy is rising again, and some SMEs are beginning to experience skill shortages. Finding good talent is one of the most common challenges SME owners face. When looking for the right person, a good job description is the first step.
The bad news for job seekers is that the majority of job descriptions are long, rigid and boring. The good news for you is that the majority of job descriptions are long, rigid and boring. Your next job description is your chance to be concise and clear and attract more candidates than your competitors.
The secret to a good job description is clarity. You should:
1: Clearly describe what type of person you want
2: Explain clearly what responsibilities and tasks the job entails
3: Use language that is free from industry jargon
4: Entice the right people to apply and the wrong people to pass by
“Most companies include a salary range that allows some wiggle room when it comes to a candidate’s experience and education.”
Simplicity is key – job title and summary
Keep it simple and use language that reflects well on your company. All too often job descriptions use hackneyed work-related phrases like ‘track record’, ‘driven’, and ‘strategic’. Instead of buzzwords, use plain English and keep the job title and company description short.
Be open and honest about the responsibilities
All too often the person writing the job description will ‘throw the kitchen sink at it’ and detail a long list of responsibilities that bear no real reflection on what the actual day-to-day job entails.
Be honest. List the top five things the person will be expected to spend most of their day doing.
Be clear about the skills and qualifications required
A brief scan of LinkedIn will give you an indication of how people ‘pad’ their CVs, skills and qualifications. There is no need for you, the employer, to pad out the skills and qualifications a candidate needs. Write simple sentences. Just like this. Use bullets. Don’t ‘sugarcoat’ the job details. If it’s a challenging sales job, say so.
“Remember, job descriptions that read like Finnegan’s Wake will cost your business good candidates.”
Tell them about the company – in brief
Most people will research who you are and what you do elsewhere on the Internet. Keep your company overview to about two sentences.
Include details of salary and benefits
Most companies include a salary range that allows some wiggle room when it comes to a candidate’s experience and education. It’s important to include benefits such as paid holidays, medical insurance, pension plans, company phone, travel expences, etc.
Include contact information
Your email address is usually sufficient, but also include a landline number.
Remember, job descriptions that read like Finnegan’s Wake will cost your business good candidates. Your job description should reflect the type of person you are looking for.
“The more human and helpful the job description is, the more likely it will attract a helpful human.”
