Is your job posting hindering your hiring process?

You’ve had your job posting up for a mid-level position for two weeks so far and the only hits you’re getting are from recent college graduates that won’t answer their phones to talk about the position. Either you’re there aren’t any qualified candidates or you’re missing something. And I’m sorry to tell ya, you’re probably missing something. What you’re missing is a strong job posting. It is important to go beyond blurting out a flashy title and throwing a number to hook candidates. If you want candidates with sustenance, you’ll need to learn how to write a job description with sustenance.

How to write a job description:

Title

While you need a good enticing job title you don’t want to overpromise and underdeliver. Or vice versa. Don’t be too general.

If you’re looking to bring on a marketing specialist, do your research into what specific needs your business has. Do you need someone creative or someone analytical? Do you want to focus on social media or search engine optimization?

Using a title like ‘marketing coordinator‘ is very broad. It may cause one of two things. Wither someone will skip over the posting to find something more specific, or less qualified candidates will apply because it seems too general, like an entry-level position.

Purpose of the job

Give a short blurb of the job. This should be one to two sentences giving the reader a basic understanding of what you’re looking for. After reading this, the candidate should be able to determine if they should exit the page or continue reading for more information.

Description

When your description is detailed and clear it deters the unqualified candidates from submitting resumes. It is also an introduction to your company.

The description should include the core responsibilities of the position. The day-to-day activities of the position should be highlighted to help the candidates get a better understanding of the role and the work environment. When the candidate sees the bigger picture, they will begin to understand how their role will impact your business.

From this description, the reader should get a pretty good idea of the company culture through your verbiage. Do you want to come across as corporate, a startup or something in-between?

Qualifications

Yes, you just spent a considerable amount of time working on the description and people can usually tell what you need. BUT to discourage the overconfident and underqualified candidate, you should create a list of hard and soft skills.

These qualifications should include education level, previous job experience, certifications, and skills required to get the role. Listing too many or too few qualifications can deter capable candidates. Feel free to include two lists- one for must haves and one for not required but appreciated.

Selling your company

Sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter and Monster are saturated with open positions. What sets you apart from all of them? Now that you have a kick-ass job description you need a kick-ass section to sell your company to candidates.

Include a glimpse of your company culture. Incentives and benefits are just as important to job-seekers as what the job is.