When talented job seekers come across your job posting, it’s an opportunity to convert them into applicants and bring them one step closer to joining your team. However, if your job posting fails to provide the necessary information or fails to inspire them to apply, they may simply click the “Back” button and move on. To prevent this, your job postings must deliver the information and appeal to your target candidates. The most crucial details can be found in the job description and skills section of your job postings.
The job description and skills section play a vital role in offering a clear and concise overview of the open position. This way, job seekers can easily grasp the key responsibilities, tasks, and skills required for the job. Communicating your expectations effectively, you enable job seekers to make informed decisions about whether they are qualified to apply.
Describe the position
An effective job description typically consists of two components: an overview of the role and the job responsibilities. It’s important to highlight only the most significant information in these sections, ensuring that the description is succinct and easily digestible. While content is important, overwhelming job seekers with excessive information in a single paragraph can lead to disinterest.
Summarise the role
The position overview, typically written in paragraph form, should provide job seekers with a general understanding of their day-to-day responsibilities. Engage the job seeker directly, creating a personalised job advertisement that allows prospective candidates to visualise themselves thriving in the position. Keep your statements concise while incorporating descriptive words to make them engaging and exciting. You can also emphasise the great opportunities associated with the job and how the role contributes to your company’s mission.
Ineffective: As the face of our organisation, the chosen candidate will take charge of various receptionist responsibilities.
Effective: As our executive offices’ first point of contact, you will serve as the initial impression for our esteemed visitors.
Ineffective: The candidate will be responsible for sales and service.
Effective: Join our dynamic team environment where you will actively close sales, deliver exceptional customer service, and play a vital role in our ongoing progress.
Listing job responsibilities
In this section, focus on highlighting the five most essential job duties. Using bullet points allows job seekers to quickly scan and absorb the information. Start each responsibility with a “to be” verb, which adds power and clarity to your statements.
Ineffective: Responsibilities include providing comprehensive support to high-level executives. This entails coordinating travel arrangements, managing calendars, organising meetings, handling procurement tasks, taking meeting notes, assisting in creating impactful PowerPoint presentations, maintaining organised filing systems, proficient typing, and ensuring seamless arrangements for meetings, including catering if necessary.
Effective:
- Manage and coordinate the schedules for executive management
- Make reservations for flight and hotel accommodations
- Perform administrative responsibilities including taking notes during meetings, preparing correspondence, and file management
- Assist with production of sales presentations
- Collaborate on special projects as assigned
An effective job posting strikes a balance between providing enough information to attract and inform potential candidates while avoiding the inclusion of non-essential tasks.
Providing qualifications and skill requirements
Once job seekers are excited about the opportunity, they need to assess their eligibility. Use bullet points to allow them to quickly scan and evaluate their qualifications.
Start by listing the “required skills” for the job, including necessary skills, educational achievements, and relevant experience. Conclude the list with “preferred skills,” or “desirable skills”, which are attributes that are not mandatory but are highly desired in an ideal candidate. These qualifications may encompass advanced educational background, specialised industry expertise, or proficiency in specific software programs.
Ineffective: bachelor’s degree in a field appropriate to the area of assignment and five (5) years of related administrative experience, including three (3) years of supervisory experience; OR, Nine (9) years of related administrative experience, including three (3) years of supervisory experience; OR, any equivalent combination of education and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved.
Effective:
- Relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Five years of related administrative experience
- Three years of supervisory experience
- Ability to adapt to a changing environment and handle multiple priorities
- Excellent writing and analytical skills
- Familiarity with HubSpot and Google Analytics is a plus
- Showcasing organisational values and culture
In addition to education and experience, cultural fit plays a crucial role in selecting the right candidate. Use this section to highlight your business mission, vision, and values, giving candidates insight into the essence of your company. Include key attributes of your company culture and workplace to provide a glimpse of what it’s like to work at your organisation. Lastly, mention personality traits that are common among successful team members.
By meticulously articulating the job and its requisite skills, your job posting will effectively convey the expectations to prospective job seekers. Consequently, the right candidates will become more engaged and interested in your job, leading to higher-quality responses, and bringing you closer to finding the ideal candidate for your role.