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How To Write An Effective Job Description

Job Description

A strong job description is vital when you’re looking to hire the best candidates for a given role. This is a place you will market your company, as you are using this to sell your company to potential employees.

Your job description, whether it is a safety consultant job description, an accountants job description, or a job description for a primary school teacher, for example, will give an overview of your company, as well as the responsibilities, essential qualifications, and skills you are looking for from a potential candidate.

A good job description should be concise but provide enough information for candidates to determine if they are right for the role.

Job Title

Curate your job title so it will appear in a maximum amount of searches. Target your job titles to make them very specific for the role you are hiring for, try to include key phrases, and really sum up the position. Keep away from any confusing jargon, and stick to standard role levels, such as “junior” or “senior”. Ideally, your job title will be short and efficient. It has been shown that job titles containing a maximum of 80 characters get the most attention.

Job Summary

Start your job summary with an overview of your company and what you expect the position to entail. This should grab the reader’s attention and make them want to learn more about your company. Detail what makes your company stand out from the rest, as well as your company culture and what makes your business a great place to work.

Mention your company’s exact location. This is useful because it lets candidates know if this is a job they would be able to actually get to or would be willing to relocate for. It also serves as an element of SEO, as many people will include their location in a job search.

Give candidates an overview of the working hours and their expected schedule, as well as some information on the work environment of your business.

Let candidates know what salary you will be offering. Offer a fair salary, and if you are flexible depending on experience, say that! Good employees will be attracted to a job application that lets them know their expected salary upfront.

You should also let candidates know what benefits and perks you are offering. Employees expect good benefits from an employer, and a good benefits package can be a make or break in attracting the best employees. If you don’t already have an employee benefits package, go online at https://www.zestbenefits.com to curate a personalized employee perks package and help to attract the best talent around.

Duties and Responsibilities

In this section, you are letting potential employees know what would be expected of them in this role. Keep it clear and concise but do include detail. Make a point of including any duties unique to your business, to help candidates work out if this is a position they are qualified for and one they could handle. Make a note of day-to-day activities employees would be required to take part in, to attract someone who will fit in the working environment. 

Let candidates know who they will be reporting to, and if anyone will be reporting to them. This helps potential employees understand the company dynamic, and where in the company they will fit.

Qualifications and Skills

In your qualifications section, you want to ask for the candidate’s education, work experience, and technical skills, as well as any certifications they may have relating to the job. Also give candidates the opportunity to present their soft skills and personality traits that would make them successful employees, things as problem-solving or teamwork.


More on this topic:

Effective Job Posting Tips for Recruiters

Effective Job Posting Tips for Recruiters

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