How to Write Better Job Descriptions

As recruiters, one of our most crucial tasks is crafting job descriptions that attract the right candidates. Writing a job description isn’t just about listing duties and qualifications—it’s about creating a compelling narrative that resonates with potential applicants while accurately reflecting the role and company culture. To do this effectively, we need to dive deep into research before even starting to write. Here’s how you can gather the insights needed to write better job descriptions, along with best practices for each section.

1. Understand the Role Inside Out

Before penning a job description, it’s essential to deeply understand the role. Here’s where your research should focus:

• Consultation with hiring managers: Engage in detailed conversations with hiring managers to get a clear picture of the role’s day-to-day responsibilities, the team’s structure, and the department’s objectives. Ask about the challenges the role aims to solve and the skills necessary to succeed.
• Interviews with current or past role holders: Speaking with individuals currently in the role or those who recently held the position can provide invaluable insights. Ask them about the specific tasks they handle, the tools they use, and the soft skills that are most important in their day-to-day work.
• Review of historical performance data: Analyze past performance reviews or KPIs for the role. This data can highlight what has historically worked well and where previous employees may have struggled, offering clues on what to emphasize in your job description.
• Industry benchmarks: Research industry standards for similar roles to understand what other companies are looking for and how they are positioning similar jobs. Sites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Payscale can provide valuable benchmarks on compensation, required skills, and more.

2. Tailor the Language to the Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is key to tailoring the job description effectively. Here’s what to research:

• Candidate personas: Develop detailed personas based on the type of candidate you want to attract. These personas should include demographic information, typical career paths, preferred communication styles, and motivators. Use tools like LinkedIn Analytics or Google Analytics to gather data on your target audience’s behavior.
• Competitor job descriptions: Review how competitors are crafting their job descriptions for similar roles. Pay attention to the language they use, the benefits they highlight, and how they structure the information.
• Engagement metrics: Analyze metrics from your past job postings. Which descriptions attracted the most qualified candidates? What language or job titles seemed to resonate most? Tools like ATS (applicant tracking system) analytics or job board statistics can provide this data.

3. Focus on Outcomes, Not Just Tasks

A task-oriented job description can feel dull and uninspiring. Researching the following areas can help you shift the focus to outcomes:

• Success stories: Look for internal case studies or success stories of individuals who have excelled in the role. What projects did they lead? How did they impact the company? Use these stories to highlight expected outcomes and achievements rather than just daily tasks.
• Business objectives: Align the role’s responsibilities with the company’s broader business objectives. Understanding the company’s strategic goals can help you frame the role in a way that highlights its importance to the company’s success.
• Customer or client feedback: If the role interacts directly with customers or clients, gather feedback to understand what they value most in that interaction. This can inform what outcomes you should prioritize in the job description.

4. Be Clear and Specific About Requirements

Specificity is key when listing qualifications and requirements. Research here should include:

• Skills gap analysis: Conduct a skills gap analysis in collaboration with the hiring manager to determine which skills are critical and which are more flexible. This helps in avoiding the over-inflation of qualifications that can deter good candidates.
• Certifications and training programs: Investigate industry-standard certifications or relevant training programs that align with the role. This can help in identifying the qualifications that truly matter and should be included.
• Applicant feedback: Collect feedback from past applicants, especially those who were successful or withdrew, to understand their perspectives on the job requirements. Did they feel certain qualifications were unnecessary or missing?

5. Showcase the Company Culture

Company culture is a significant selling point. To effectively communicate it, gather insights from:

• Employee surveys and reviews: Internal surveys and platforms like Glassdoor can provide insights into how current and former employees perceive the company culture. Highlight the aspects of culture that employees value most in your job descriptions.
• Company events and initiatives: Review recent company events, social responsibility initiatives, or team-building activities that exemplify your company culture. Mentioning these in the job description can give candidates a clearer picture of what it’s like to work at your company.
• Leadership communication: Look at how company leadership communicates with employees. Is the tone formal or informal? Is there an emphasis on transparency and collaboration? Reflect this tone in your job description to attract candidates who align with your culture.

6. Include a Salary Range

Including a salary range can help in attracting the right candidates. Research for this section should focus on:

• Market salary data: Use tools like Joveo’s Unified Analytics, Payscale, Glassdoor or industry salary reports to determine a competitive salary range for the role. Consider the location, industry and level of experience required.
• Internal salary benchmarks: Ensure that the salary range aligns with what current employees in similar roles are earning to maintain internal equity.
• Cost of living adjustments: If the role is remote or in a different location from your headquarters, consider researching the cost of living in those areas to adjust the salary range accordingly.

7. Prioritize Inclusion

Inclusive job descriptions attract a diverse pool of candidates. To ensure inclusivity:

• Bias detection tools: Use tools like Textio or Gender Decoder to identify and eliminate gendered or biased language from your job descriptions.
• Diversity metrics: Analyze your company’s diversity metrics to understand where there are gaps and how inclusive your current job descriptions have been in attracting a diverse talent pool.
• Feedback from diverse employees: Gather feedback from employees from various backgrounds to understand how they perceive your job descriptions. This can provide insights into whether certain phrases or requirements might be unintentionally exclusive.

8. Keep It Concise but Informative

The balance between detail and brevity is essential. Research and data can guide this:

• Competitor analysis: Look at how competitors are structuring their job descriptions. Note the length and how they balance detail with readability.
• User experience testing: Conduct A/B testing on different lengths and structures of job descriptions to see which formats result in more qualified applications.
• Content readability tools: Use tools like Hemingway or Grammarly to assess the readability of your job descriptions and ensure they are concise without losing critical information.

9. Regularly Review and Update Job Descriptions

To keep job descriptions current and effective, establish a process that includes:

• Annual role audits: Regularly scheduled audits with hiring managers to review and update job descriptions based on evolving role requirements or changes in the company’s strategic direction.
• Post-hire feedback: After a role has been filled, gather feedback from the new hire about how well the job description matched their actual experience. Use this feedback to make necessary adjustments.
• Industry trends: Stay informed about industry trends that might influence role requirements or expectations. Regularly check industry publications, attend webinars, and participate in professional networks to keep your job descriptions aligned with the latest developments.

Conclusion

Writing an effective job description is both an art and a science. It requires a deep understanding of the role, the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively, and a commitment to inclusivity. By incorporating thorough research and these best practices into your job descriptions, you can attract the right candidates and set the stage for successful hires. Remember, the job description is often the first impression a candidate has of your company—make it count!

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