You are staring at a blank screen. You need to write a job description in order to find qualified people to join your team, but where do you even start? This post will show you how to write a concise job description that attracts exactly the type of employees that will help your business grow.
One of the most important tools you can use to attract talented employees is the job description. It communicates to future applicants exactly what the job is and how it relates to the company as a whole. Within the job description, you will also paint a picture of the environment at your company and the type of people you hope to join your team.
How To Write A Job Description In No Time
Let’s take the stress and confusion out of writing a job description. Stop staring at a blank document and check this task off your list.
When I hired my first employee, I worked for a large company that had tools and templates to guide me through each step of the process. Thankfully, I didn’t have to create a job description from scratch. I was able to tweak and tailor a template to make it perfect for my position.
Many solopreneurs and business owners don’t have the same luxury. If you’re at a loss of what to include in a job description, read on.
In this guide, I’ll show you every element you need to include in a job description and how to phrase it so you attract top tier talent.
It is a lot easier than you might think!
What Is A Job Description
A job description is a summary of the duties, qualifications, and skills someone needs to have for a specific role at your company. In other words, it describes the type of work someone is going to do.
A well-written job description will include details about your business and any benefits it provides to the employees. It should also include who the position reports to and may include the salary range.
After reading the job description, applicants should know whether they are qualified for the role and whether they are a fit for your culture. In fact, one of the reasons new hires quit is because the job they do isn’t at all like the one they thought they were applying to.
Avoid that mess and publish an accurate job description the first time.
5 Parts of a Killer Job Description
When you sit down to write a job description, these are the parts you need to include. Go through this list and work your way through the job description piece by piece.
1. Job Title
The very first thing you need to put in the job description is the job title. Do your research and verify that the job title you choose accurately describes what they will be doing.
You also want to use concise and descriptive job titles. Generic ones are confusing and will attract unqualified applicants.
For example, if you need someone to manage both marketing development and oversee day-to-day operations in the office, a vague title like “office manager” won’t attract people with marketing backgrounds. Instead, choose something similar to the title “marketing coordinator” and add the other duties in the job description.
2. Engaging and Short Overview
After you have come up with the perfect job title, create an engaging and short overview of the position or as others call it, the job summary.
This section is where you introduce your company and why they should apply to work for you. This overview is usually just a sentence or two long.
Make sure to be concise and strong so that it grabs their attention in just a few words.
3. Job Duties
Now that potential candidates know what your business is all about and what kind of job you are looking to hire for, go into detail about the exact duties you are seeking and what the employee will be required to do.
Make this list detailed, but cut out any confusing or unnecessary words. If there are any duties that are unique to your company, list them here.
The job duties section should be a bulleted list that starts with action verbs. After reading through this list, people should have a very clear understanding of what they would be doing and whether they would be a good fit.
4. Qualifications and Skills
What kind of experience, qualifications, and skills do you want applicants to have? This section of the job description is the perfect place to list them.
In this list, include both skills that are vital to the position and ones that will improve their success in minor ways.
Here are a few examples of what you could ask for or list in this section:
- Education
- Required Licenses
- Previous Job Experience
- Certifications
- Technical Skills
You can also include personal skills such as communication and personality traits.
5. Working Relationships
It is also very important to include who the potential applicants could be working with or for if they’re hired. Make sure this is also included in the job description!
If your business is still in the early stages of growing, communicate that in the notes like this, “Marketing coordinator reports directly to the owner with room for future team growth.”
It’s important to include a small description of the organizational structure so that people know what kind of environment they will be joining if they are hired. Some people are not a good fit in really small businesses and others thrive wearing many hats.
Job Description Examples
Does this all make sense? If you are crunched for time, then check out some of these job description samples and use them as templates. Just make sure that if you do use a template, that you are describing your company accurately so that the right people apply for the job.
Tips for Writing a Killer Job Description
Are you ready to sit down and finalize that job description yet? It’s not as daunting as you might think. All you have to do is sit down, write a rough draft, then begin tweaking and editing it like crazy.
If you are still worried or nervous, here are some tips that will help your job descriptions soar above the competition!
1. Avoid Being Over the Top
Don’t try too hard. Unless you are trying to attract a legal team from Harvard, you shouldn’t try to use a bunch of confusing HR jargon. In fact, the wordier you are, the less likely you are to find the right people. Over the top language can come off as intimidating and actually prevents people from applying.
Instead, use clear language that accurately describes the exact type of person you want for the job.
2. Tie the Job to the Company’s Goals
Ideally, you want to find someone that will propel your business forward and help you reach your goals. In order to find that person, try to add some of those company goals into the job description.
For example, “Busy real estate office seeks receptionist experienced with social media marketing for office management” describes the company’s goal of staying busy and growing more through social media.
3. Ask Other Employees/Colleagues For Input
If you are worried about how it sounds, reach out to colleagues and ask them to read it. I know the feeling of being too close to the project. In those cases, I reach out to someone I trust and ask them for feedback.
Ask someone you trust to be brutally honest. If you wrote something confusing, ask them to let you know so you can edit it.
4. Communicate Urgency For the Position
The longer it takes for people to apply, the longer you will be without the help you need. Do your best to try and create excitement and intrigue for the available position in the job description. One way to do this is to post a specific start date for the position.
If candidates feel compelled to apply, they will do so faster than if they feel like the position will be open indefinitely.
5. Begin With Action Verbs
This is one of the most important tips on my list. When you write the bulleted list of duties and responsibilities, start out each list with an action verb. When you do this, it will make the list easier to scan and understand.
One mistake many companies and HR departments tend to make is to start these bullets with adverbs. Saying, “Effectively markets current houses on social media” is too wordy. Of course, you want social media marketing to be effective, that should be understood.
A better way to write that is, “Plan and publish social media posts about current houses on the market.”
See the difference?
Final Thoughts
Hiring the right person can make all the difference in the upward trajectory of your business. You’ll be more likely to attract qualified people if you write a killer job description that compels them to apply. Follow these steps and you’ll have the best job description out there in no time at all!
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