Measure Twice, Cut Once: A guide to writing a good job description
Hammering nails into our wall to hang up our company values . . . without using a tape measure!
True confession: I am not a fan of measuring.
I actually tend to hammer nails into the wall with a guesstimate of where the picture or other wall hanging should end up. (Yes, this drives my husband crazy, and yes, they usually end up halfway straight. See proof above…).
But recruiting is one area where preparation really is key, because hiring people is not the same thing as hanging a picture.
And hiring well starts with the good old-fashioned job description. I know, I know, it's every hiring manager's worst nightmare, but crafting a good job description is a crucial first step in hiring well. Putting the time and effort into writing a good job description pays off because it forces you, the hiring manager, to really think through what this role is all about. Are you relying on a job description that’s five or ten years old? Has nothing changed since then?
Did you know that over triple the amount of people will look at a job description and then exit the website without applying? This is your chance to hook the candidate. Ultimately, a well-written job description is a marketing tool about the job and the company. Here’s one way to think about it: what would it look like if the person in the role is wildly successful? That is what you want to capture.
Here are five key tips that will help you write compelling job descriptions.
Think Big: What does success look like?
One common trend we see is to simply list responsibilities in the job description: “manage the P&L, report variance analysis, etc.” But if I’m a potential candidate, all that tells me is what my tasks will be. Those bullet points don’t actually tell me what success in the role looks like.
When I led Talent Acquisition at a large public accounting firm, one of our top priorities was creating job descriptions that gave the potential candidate a true sense of what their day to day would look like. Even if you’re removed from this new hire’s day-to-day, interview the direct manager and people in similar roles within the company.
Another great idea is to create a “Day in the Life of…” document or page on your website. Even better if you can have them come in and shadow your team during the interview process.
2. Use Your Real Estate Wisely: The job description is not about you.
The average job seeker spends fewer than 30 seconds reviewing a job posting, according to CareerBuilder, so you don’t have much time to capture their attention.
The opening paragraph on your job description is perhaps the most important real estate on the entire document (or webpage). This is where you capture your prospect’s attention and “pitch” the opportunity.
Participants in a LinkedIn study reported that the lengthy paragraphs about the hiring organization are simply not relevant. “I don't want to waste time reading about a company and their vision/mission if I don't fit the role,” said one study participant.
What is helpful? The specific details about the job. They can find the information about your company a lot of other places: your website, social media, etc. But the job posting is where they learn about this job.
3. Remember English 101: Be Clear, Concise, and to the Point
The point of a job description is not to dump as many random facts about the job as possible, but rather to communicate the essence of the role. There is a reason the “other duties as required” bullet point exists. If you put every microscopic detail on the job description, you miss the forest for the trees.
We live in a world that is over-saturated with information, which is probably why shorter job descriptions get more applicants. Brevity is key.
4. Call a Spade a Spade: Choose an Accurate Title for the role.
Make sure your title accurately represents the role. Over-inflating the title is an easy trap to fall into. But an overly aggressive title will attract the wrong level of applicant who is over-qualified for the role. (On a separate note, if you’re posting compensation bands, be transparent about where the realistic range is. More on that in a later blog post!)
5. Aim to include, not exclude: performance-based job descriptions are the future.
Requirements, or even “preferred qualifications” are tricky. Almost every client we talk to is willing to accept less experience than is listed on the job description. Lou Adler has long advocated for performance-based job descriptions. Ask yourself what the biggest performance objective for the new hire is. It might be totally different than what you have listed on the job description!
Ultimately, remember that you’re writing to humans, not to robots. Put yourself in the shoes of the person who’s skimming over 100s of job postings and ask yourself what would pique your interest on a very busy day.