How to write a great job description

A job ad is the crucial first step in attracting fantastic talent to your team. Travis O’Rourke, President of Hays Canada, gives his decades of experience on how to write a description that works.

Writing a good job description: Key Insights

• Candidate expectations are evolving. To attract the best talent in the modern workplace, businesses must shake up the style and tone of your job descriptions. 
• To attract relevant job seekers and improve search engine rankings, include keywords such as key industry terms, salary details, and location. Clarity and relevance is essential.
• A good job description tells the applicant everything they need to know about the job, including the tasks involved and the wider purpose and culture of the organization.

Contact your local consultant for more information on how we can help you with your recruitment needs, from job adverts onwards.

The importance of a good job description

The landscape of employment is evolving. Job applicants now have different priorities and new considerations when seeking their next significant role. Not only that, but the increasing digital reliance means that job seekers’ expectations of brand engagement have also evolved. Combined, these two trends mean that companies should reappraise how they write job adverts.

Brands that provide a positive experience from the first point of contact attract active job seekers. Writing a good job description starts this relationship off on the best possible footing. Organizations need to promote their job opportunities in compelling and meaningful ways to stand out in a crowded market.

If you don't know where to start, try using one of our free job description templates!

What do jobseekers want to see in a job advert?

Include essential details about the role and your organization. You are much more likely to engage and keep the interest of jobseekers if you give them a fuller picture of the opportunity. The Hays What Workers Want research showed that:

• 80% want to see a detailed role description
• 65% want to see the role requirements
• 61% want to see compensation and benefits information

How can I add maximum value to my online job descriptions?

We live in a busy digital world with lots of distractions. To make your advert stands out, there are a few things to bear in mind and brief your recruiter:

• Use a common, searchable job title. Include a location in the title to help the right candidates find your job posting on search engines.
• Make sure the body content is clear, relevant and includes commonly searched keywords. Think about structure, descriptions should be easy to digest. So, you may wish to use bullet points rather than extensive paragraphs. 
• Think carefully about what information candidates will find valuable and incentivizing. While it may be tempting to include all the details about your organization. Keep in mind that candidates primarily value information that impacts their working life.
• Important, as well, is insight into the type of work the position involves and the compensation and benefits. What does success in the role look like? What are the potential career paths available?
• Describe the underlying principles of the company and your culture. Your recruiter can help narrow this down to what really matters.  
• Connect the job with your company’s strategic priorities. Express the broader objectives of your organization and demonstrate how this role helps to achieve them. 

What sort of language should I use in a job advert?

When writing a job advert, follow certain professional rules. Represent your organization by embedding your values and company identity in the wording. Things to remember when crafting a job description include:

• Use compassionate and empathetic language. This is an opportunity to show that your brand has a human identity.
• Avoid negative language. Words like “can’t,” “never,” and “must” to prevent your workplace culture from seeming demanding or authoritarian.
• Make sure to use inclusive language and imagery.
• Adopt the first or second person. Third-person language is too formal and creates a gulf between you and applicants. Referring to “we” or “you” feels much more personable than “the successful candidate”. Writing in the first or second person helps candidates envision themselves in the role.

A good recruitment partner ensures your job descriptions match your brand’s tone and use the right language.

How should I promote our company culture in the job description?

Aside from salary, workplace culture is the most important criteria for candidates. Conveying your company culture is essential to attract candidates who will be a good fit for your organization.

There are several ways to do this:

• Organizational purpose and company values. Many candidates are looking to align with employers who share their progressive values and goals. As a leader, ask yourself what’s important to your organization? Do you value curiosity, honesty, expertise?
• Use the job ad as a way to showcase your stance. If your business thrives on innovation, showcase some of the exciting and new initiatives your organization has undertaken.
• Growth and progression opportunities. Emphasize what you can offer as an employer. Talk about your investment in your employees, and the learning and development opportunities you provide.  
• What sets your organization apart from others? This could include a top-tier flexible working scheme, innovative products or services, remote working opportunities, regular team socials, or birthdays off. You need to identify your own USP as an employer. These details might not all seem important but together, they can help your brand to stand out to potential jobseekers.

What does a good job description look like?

1. A relevant and descriptive job title

Applicants may see hundreds of job ads every day. Including a clear title that will hook the candidate and invite them to read further is vital.

2. A brief introduction and background about the company

This should be a single paragraph that gives a flavor of the most appealing aspects of both the role and your organization. This is a good place to briefly draw attention to, accolades and awards.

3. Your company story

As mentioned above, culture is a huge consideration for professionals applying for new roles. Introduce the values of your organization, as well as your organizational purpose. Showcase company Diversity and Inclusivity (D&I), job security and progression opportunities.

4. The main job description

This is the main part of the job description where you outline the major details of the role. You must be clear and comprehensive without overwhelming the reader with too much detail. Consider what challenges you will expect the new hire to resolve in the role. Those challenges should form the spine of your description.

Also, be sure to reference other elements such as:

• Working hours
• Salary
• Benefits
• Development opportunities
• Anything else an employee might find enticing

5. Your ideal candidate

The person specification is a powerful part of a job advert. It should present a list of the required skills and desirable traits of the ideal candidate for the role. This description efficiently shortlists candidates while remaining broad enough to attract individuals with transferable skills.

6. An explanation of your application process

Outline what will happen once a candidate has applied. Giving clear details will assure them that you are professional and a company with a genuine regard for people. Managing expectations is key to a positive application experience. If you do not invite them to interview, the candidate retains a positive impression of your business going forward.

7. Closing statement

It should end with a closing statement that embodies the best parts of your role and your organization. In particular, it should express an eagerness to continue the conversation post-application. You can promote the company by including links to any website pages or videos which illustrate what it’s like to work with you.

Hays professionals are ready to support you and your business today and tomorrow. Contact our experts today.