With the economy changing, so is the job market. Great job seekers are becoming rare and there are more and more job roles available. To be able to attract the great candidates, you need to really sell your opportunities. You’re a hiring manager though, not necessarily a writer or a marketer, so how do you get started? Leanne Goplen Zabriskie of recruitingblogs.com has a few suggestions:

As a hiring manager, you want to to see CVs which are clear and concise in order to be able to review it swiftly, but have you ever thought of applying these rules to your job descriptions? It is essentially the same thing, you want to review a large amount of CVs quickly, narrow this down to a small number that are of interest and eliminate the rest. Job seekers also want to review job roles quickly and not waste time on those that will not suit them. If you apply these same rules to your job description, you will become more desirable to job seekers.

Make it scannable:

This doesn’t mean that it needs to be a load of bullet points; it just needs to highlight the most important things. Utilise formatting to draw out the things you want the candidate to notice first.

Use “external” language:

When you see a CV for a candidate who has a really complicated job title, you have no idea what that person has actually done. When you advertise for a role in the same way, your candidates are also not going to know what it is. For example; if it’s a sales person, call it a sales person.

Inject some personality:

If it sounds like your job description has been computer generated, then this will put candidates off. If you make the advert sound like you’re excited about the role, then the candidate will be too.

Sell yourself:

Why do you work for this company? What do you love about your role? Make sure these elements also come across in the job description, don’t just list the benefits, demonstrate them. For example; if the role is going to be long hours and hard work, but the opportunities are fantastic, talk about growth potential.

Don’t tell, show:

If the culture of your company is fun and relaxed, then use language that reflects this. If your description comes across as formal, your line about a fun company culture will not be taken seriously by a candidate.

Be intriguing right from the start:

The beginning of the headline for the advert doesn’t need to list all the requirements for the perfect candidate. It needs to stand out to that candidate and make them want to read the rest of the job description.

Communicate “why” instead of the “why not”:

There is always time to screen out candidates who apply and don’t meet your needs. In the initial description, spend time on convincing those great candidates to apply rather than convincing most people that they don’t have what it takes. Having a long list of requirements or preferences will only put them off.

As well as writing a great job description, think about other ways you can attract a candidate’s attention. For example; add photos or videos of what the work place is really like or how you and your colleagues work as a team. Make the position attractive to the key job seekers you are trying to encourage to apply; the job description is your foot in the door with a great candidate.

 

Read more at: http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-write-amazing-job-descriptions