Essential Guide to Writing Job Descriptions

Writing job descriptions for a job advert and identifying suitable candidates who are qualified to meet the demands of the position and who will be a good fit in the corporate culture, is one of the most important tasks faced by companies in general, especially HR departments.

To attract qualified candidates, there are several factors which should be considered. Other than the obvious need to pay a salary which is competitive enough to attract skilled candidates in the industry and sector you occupy, people who are searching for employment opportunities need to have a clear understanding of what the position entails.

This is where writing job descriptions comes in – and it is an area which is neglected by many, to the point where employers have difficulty getting the very people they are looking to hire interested in the available vacancies.

Words are powerful tools. Writing a good job advert is far more important to a company’s ability to attract interested and qualified candidates, than many of us realise. The way that a job advert is worded, can make all the difference in the number and quality of applicants you will receive.

Just as the wording of a resume can influence hiring decisions, job seekers will closely examine job descriptions to determine whether or not they are interested in the situation vacant.

When writing job descriptions, a first draft is a must. Many employers make the mistake of creating a rough description of the position which is far too detailed or alternately and just as damaging to the prospect of recruiting qualified job seekers, entirely too vague.

A job advert needs to convey clearly the important duties of the position without overwhelming readers with a laundry list of each and every detail. Starting with a first draft, list everything you want prospective hires to know about the position; then take a second pass through and rewrite it, whittling away those elements which are likely to be seen as irrelevant.

Remember that writing job descriptions for online adverts requires that you get across as accurate of a description of the positions as possible while exercising economy of language. The idea is to list the most important duties included in the position and to list the core competencies and necessary qualifications.

Clarity is also important. If a position reports to more than one department head, mention it in your description. Writing a job advert allows you to communicate to candidates; in fact, this is your first point of contact with job seekers, an opportunity to leave a good first impression.

Some of the essential points to remember when writing a job advert are the title of the position (which will in most cases be the headline), reporting structure, duties involved, qualifications or experience needed for the role and finally the scope of the position..

Despite the repeated advice here to keep job adverts short and to the point, there is certainly a place for longer job descriptions. This is for internal use and also to provide shortlisted candidates with a more in-depth knowledge of what the role entails. Shortlisted candidates will naturally want to know more about the position and the company, to enable them to prepare for the final interview.

You should maintain both short and concise job descriptions (for use in advertising vacancies) as well as longer descriptions for internal use, within the Human Resources department. A detailed, longer job description can essentially be a rewritten and polished version of your first draft, albeit formatted and rewritten to come up with a better finished product.

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