Download Your Complete Guide to Creating Effective Job Descriptions
Only 36% of candidates believe employers provide clear job descriptions (Allegis Group). How do your job descriptions stack up? Find out by downloading our guide. Here’s a preview of you can expect:
Job Description Template
- Job Title and Location
You want to use a job title that will evoke authority and pique the candidate’s interest. However, keep in mind that your job title also needs to be one that potential candidates will be searching for. Also, be sure to include the location of the position you are hiring for, especially if you have multiple offices.
- Quick Company Summary with a Hook
Start your job description with a summary about your company and then provide a hook to draw the audience in. You only have one shot to make a first impression and it has to be done within the first 30 seconds. Important to keep in mind here is that you don’t need to be the sexiest company or have the biggest brand recognition, just be honest and personable in your messaging to candidates. In a concise manner, introduce your company to the candidate. Explain the nature of your business and tell candidates why your organization is a great place to work. Once you establish this ethos, refine your messaging to communicate why the specific position you are hiring for is exciting within the context of your company.
- Describe Your Ideal Candidate
Once you have drawn the candidate in and have their full attention, it is time to set your expectations. This starts with defining your ideal candidate. One of the biggest mistakes in writing job descriptions is doing so before you have developed a well-defined candidate profile. Prior to writing any job description, take some time to list out the key characteristics that constitute your ideal candidate. Once you have these characteristics identified, you want to “call them out” in your job description. This forces your candidates to evaluate their own personality to see if they are the right fit for the role. Begin this section by saying, “This is the job for you if….” then, literally bullet out the characteristics that are essential for the role that you are hiring for.
- List What They Will Own/Do (Duties & Responsibilities)
Okay, so we have the candidate hooked and they fall into our candidate profile. Now, we need to be certain that they fully understand what their roles and responsibilities will be. This is the most straightforward section of the job description. Start it off by stating, “As a [title], you’ll…” and then give candidates a top-level, transparent explanation of the major duties and tasks that they will be responsible for. This section of the job description template allows you to paint a clear picture of what “a day in the life” at your company would be like. Enabling candidates to visualize themselves working at your company is key for driving them to apply. Furthermore, if you are honest when describing the duties of the position, those that apply are buying into the actual role that you are offering.
- Requirements & Qualifications (Skills & Experience)
To set the bar and establish a baseline threshold for candidates, you must be clear about the required qualifications for the job. Frame this section with, “What we’re looking for…” and then list the mandatory skills and experience needed. Avoid listing every qualification that constitutes your “perfect” candidate because this may intimidate many qualified job seekers and drive them away from applying (consider separating nice-to-haves from must-haves). Remember, the purpose of job descriptions is to attract qualified candidates to apply. As you move candidates through your pipeline, you can extract further qualifications not specified in the job description template.
- Wrap it All Up
Use the conclusion of your job description to make your final pitch to candidates. For our conclusion, we always start with the header, “In case you were wondering…” We have found that this ambiguity peaks the interest of most candidates and prompts them to continue reading. Following this header, use the body paragraph to summarize any final selling points.
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