When a potential candidate searches for future career opportunities, the first impression they have of your company is based on the job description you have posted to a job board and/or your company’s website. Effective job descriptions include the job title and summary, responsibilities and duties, and qualifications and skills. Other components of job descriptions may include compensation, benefits, and any other notes the hiring manager chooses to share. While there is no foolproof way of crafting effective job descriptions, there are methods that garner more success than others.

Job descriptions include vital information pertaining to the company recruiting top candidates and to persuade candidates to join the team. Additional details might include the company mission, description of the company culture, workplace setting, the internal processes between departments including the role for which the candidate will fill, as well as the salary ranges and additional benefits offered. Indeed reported job descriptions between 700 and 2,000 characters receive up to 30% more applicants.^[1] So how do you make your job descriptions stand out from related job postings? Indeed has more than 25 million jobs listed alone.^[2]

Here are some tips for creating more effective job descriptions templates.
Job Title. The job title should be as specific as possible. The more targeted the job title, the more effective they are. Research keywords that accurately define the position to make it more marketable on online job boards and websites. Be sure to clearly communicate experience levels to avoid confusion (i.e., using “Senior” instead of numerical terms like “I” or “IV”).

Job Summary. This is where your personality and/or persuasive flair should be applied. While the job summary should be grammatically sound and include a brief company overview and expectations, it should also be to highlight details that set your company apart from its competitors and other companies who have similar roles. Have a fun company activity you enjoy? Add it here. Does your company have catered lunches or casual Fridays? Add it here. Lastly, it is imperative to include an exact job location. It not only assists potential candidates in assessing if the location is a match, but also increases visibility in job search results.

Responsibilities and Duties. While your profile of the responsibilities, day-to-day operations, and the role of the marketed position in the company is critical to include, crafting concise details is the key to effectively composing the responsibilities and duties section. For example, if an “Associate Editor” requires multiple style guide expertise to effectively edit collateral, include the specific style guides and to what extent the candidates need to be familiarized with them to guarantee candidates fully understand the expectations of the role.

Qualifications and Skills. This section should focus on preferred and/or required education, work experience, certifications, and relevant skills for the position. Soft skills, personality tests, and/or other gamification tools may be included to assist with determining cultural and technical alignment with company expectations. Although you may think all requirements are just as important as the next, try to limit the key job qualifications and skills to avoid dissuading candidates.

Successful recruiting requires adequate training, tools, and resources. From securing experienced recruiters to implementing effective recruiting methods, VensureHR can assist you with your recruiting efforts. VensureHR is your partner PEO company that has HR experts in recruiting services, including onboarding, background checks, applicant tracking, and much more. Contact VensureHR to find recruitment services that can take your staffing to the next level.

^[1], ^[2] How to Write a Job Description