The first and the most basic step in hiring is defining your business needs and who is the ideal candidate for delivering it. Establishing an image of an ideal candidate profile requires an understanding of both technical and soft skills to fit your business requirements and culture.
You might find many templates available online that will help you get started. We do not recommend the copy-paste method but you can definitely get inspired. Many of the resources available on the web were created by professional HR professionals and content writers.
Remember that the job description that you are writing is addressed to candidates and should provide them with a significant amount of information (we all like to feel clarity and sense of security). Don’t use fancy words that do not match the position and try to keep a level of excitement between the lines. The candidates are screening you in the same way that you will be screening them. The job description is your opportunity to leave a positive impression.
If you are addressing passive candidates it is even harder to catch their attention and you will have to be seductive. Start with the job title that is aligned with the role while keeping in mind that most job boards work like search engines and candidates utilize keywords. A good job title will help you to pop in their search results.
Storytelling will help you get the job description into the next level. In order to stand out and make candidates relate on a personal level, you should present your company in an interesting way, tell them your story, and why they would love to join your team. You want them to be able to picture themselves stepping into the office and working with you.
The bare minimum of requirements should be included after presenting your company/ story. This part is important both for clarity creation and for your time management. Screening candidates takes a big amount of time and you do not want people that don’t match even the basic requirements to apply- you will end up going through CVS that won’t serve your business.
Add benefits section to describe the additional bonus points provided to candidates like private insurance, training, etc. Remember that you are trying to attract a candidate and every respect that will help you to stand out is great.
Forget the boring corporate language and try to use friendly words, sell your company and what differentiates you, and the most important set up the expectations from the beginning.
If you’d like help with the creation of a job description, book time here.
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