Clear job descriptions benefit your company

Are you in the midst of building your all-star team? Kickstart your recruitment process by crafting the perfect job description. Despite being a crucial part of this process, job descriptions are not always given much deliberate thought. Yet the importance of clear and effective job descriptions for your company cannot be underestimated.
 

Job descriptions are an extension of your company’s brand image. Consider that this could be the very first time jobseekers cross paths with your company as they browse job portals. Their first impressions of your company will be formed from the contents and structure of the job description itself. Even if they are cognisant of your brand through your stellar marketing efforts, a good job description will serve to reinforce that positive impression.

Besides communicating your company’s brand message, clear job descriptions will aid you in attracting talented candidates whose portfolio of skills are closely aligned with the role. Accurately worded job descriptions reduce the time you take to review applications since they help to filter the candidates who do apply. Beyond making the recruitment process faster and more efficient, they also guide you in evaluating the performance of the new hire during the probation period.

Tips on crafting the perfect job description

Do you find writing clear and effective job descriptions a challenging task? Here are some tips on how to craft the perfect job description.

First, you should begin the job description with the job title as well as a succinct summary of the role. Use specific job titles which are recognised in your industry—avoid esoteric and gimmicky terms such as “guru” or “rockstar”. You should also state whether it is a permanent full-time, part-time or a contract role.

For the short summary, express the job’s primary function and how it contributes to company-wide objectives in one to three sentences. It is good to conduct some research and compile a list of possible phrases jobseekers use when they search for similar jobs. Including keyword-friendly phrases in the summary will boost your job post’s SEO and maximise its potential reach.

Second, you should include a list of bullet points detailing the essential responsibilities of the role. What will the new hire be working on? The purpose of this section is so that candidates can gain a better understanding of the key areas of responsibility as well as the major deliverables you expect from them. Use strong action verbs—“analyse”, “design” and “execute” for instance—at the start of each bullet point. Take note that this list of responsibilities is not overly long or filled with unrealistic expectations.

Third, have another list of bullet points explaining what you are looking for in your ideal candidate. This is your opportunity to define the essential skills and desired qualifications your ideal candidate possesses. State clearly how many years’ experience your ideal candidate should have in a given field or working with a specific software program. Other than technical skills, be sure to include some soft skills and qualities your ideal candidate needs to succeed.

Fourth, the perfect job description is not all about you; it is also about what you can offer. What employee benefits does your company have? Describe them in an enticing manner—remote work opportunities, comprehensive medical coverage, generous transport allowances and so on. Allow your ideal candidate to envision what they can stand to gain if they were to join your company. Besides describing the various company benefits, highlight the uniqueness of your company culture.

Last but not least, end your job description with a clear call to action. Even if you are not urgently seeking to fill a position, it will compel candidates to apply to your job posting.

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