Secrets to Writing a Perfect Job Description

64% of job seekers won’t apply for your job if they don’t understand your job title or job description doesn’t make sense. Plus, having a job description that is too detailed can also drive applicants away. What’s the secret sauce to creating the perfect job description to attract the right applicants for your position?

Here are the secrets to writing great job descriptions.

The HiringThing Guide to Increasing Your Applicant Traffic goes in-depth on ways to reimagine your job postings and other helpful tips to make your job postings more appealing.

Grab Their Attention Right Away

Think about you ideal candidate and what would capture their attention. Your opening should entice the candidate to read more and capture them right away. Try to craft an alluring opening line by using targeted questions or statements like “Are you looking for that perfect job to express your creativity” or “Want to work for a company that truly understands and appreciates work-life balance?”

Keep It Simple

The best practice should be to keep it simple when it comes to your job titles. Use strong and easy-to-understand keywords, focusing on industry-specific terms and limiting jargon. While it may seem cool and might even fit within your culture to refer to your software developers as software ninjas, resist the urge.

Keep It Short and Sweet

Provide 3-5 essential job responsibilities or competencies. List the minimum requirements for education and experience. Knowing the difference between required and preferred experience is important, and should be clearly differentiated. This will help limit the number of unqualified applicants you get and save you time during applicant review.

Add Some Personality

This is the first opportunity to introduce your job voice and personality to potential candidates, no one wants to work for a boring robot. Spice up your job description by adding a human voice, that gives the candidate a feel for the organization's culture and if they’ll be a good fit.

Also, check out 6 Mistakes to Avoid in Job Descriptions.

Make the Process Easy

After you’ve captured the applicant’s attention, the last thing you want to do is lose them due to a complicated and cumbersome application process. Give clear and concise instruction on what is required to apply. This is where using an applicant tracking system comes in handy.

An applicant tracking system (ATS)  like HiringThing helps create an easy-to-use application process that reduces applicant abandonment by allowing you to create a seamless applicant process. The applicant can provide relevant personal information, answer screening questions, and submit their resume on the same page without logging and completing lengthy multi-step profiles.

Want to learn more about applicant tracking systems? Check out Ten Reasons All Businesses Can Benefit from an Applicant Tracking System or What is Private Label Applicant Tracking System?

If you follow these easy tips you’ll be on your way to getting more qualified applicants and hiring your next great employee.

About HiringThing

HiringThing is a modern recruiting and employee onboarding platform as a service that creates seamless talent experiences. Our white label solutions and open API enable HR technology and service providers to offer hiring and onboarding to their clients. Approachable and adaptable, the HiringThing HR platform empowers anyone, anywhere to build their dream team.