If you’re focused on growing a top-quality team committed to your organization’s growth, you’ve probably experimented with many types of talent development initiatives. However, what many leaders fail to realize is that improving job descriptions can be a major game-changer when it comes to attracting better talent. Sadly, many companies continue to use the same antiquated verbiage in their job descriptions they may have used 10 years ago. If your job descriptions are stale and uninspiring, you can’t expect candidates to come flocking. Remember, a job description is often the first point of exposure a candidate has to your company. Making sure it accurately reflects positively upon you as an employer can affect how you’re perceived by candidates.
Keep in mind, effectively updating your job descriptions requires more than simply moving some words around. Including aspects of these various elements of your company can elevate your job descriptions:
Workplace culture.
One of the most common mistakes is focusing too much on the jobs themselves, rather than the cultural experience offered at your company. While the candidate should certainly be able to learn specifics about the job, it’s equally important to provide a sense of the environment they can expect. For instance, do you offer a team-oriented atmosphere that fosters collaboration and strong relationships? Do you consistently promote a culture of high morale and open communication? Do you foster innovation and creativity in helping your team grow together? Highlighting aspects of your culture within your job descriptions will help candidates understand the type of work environment they would be part of, allowing them to envision themselves as members of your team.
Professional growth opportunities.
Many highly qualified candidates aren’t just seeking a job – they’re looking for an opportunity to grow professionally in their fields. Within the context of the job description, be sure to include information about professional development opportunities offered within the company. For instance, if you offer monthly lunch-and-learn seminars, mentorship programming, or free online courses, these types of initiatives should be mentioned in your job postings. Additionally, stating specific information about how a candidate will be able to advance in the job will showcase to them the trajectory of growth if they work hard and excel within the role. By emphasizing the potential for pay increases and promotions, you’ll position your company as an employer that retains its people for the long-term and provides its employees with the tools and resources to thrive.
Organizational mission and values.
In many cases, ambitious candidates in today’s market are looking for employers that offer more than a paycheck, but rather value their people and operate with a core mission and set of values. Job descriptions that incorporate aspects of your company culture – such as your leadership style, teamwork, cultural practices, and company milestones and history – can be extremely impactful in communicating to candidates the importance of their roles within your organization and how they’ll be contributing to your mission at large. Furthermore, including your company values – such as respect, ethics, and diversity – will allow candidates to consider how their own values connect with those of your organization, helping them understand if they’d be a good fit for your culture.
Candidate-focused language.
As you compose job descriptions, it’s essential to put yourself in a candidate’s position by asking the question, “What’s in it for me?” Remember, candidates are thinking of their own futures first and foremost. You can capture their attention by addressing their needs at the beginning of every post. For example, starting your job descriptions by emphasizing opportunities for professional growth and promotion from within your company will immediately send a message that you’re invested in your people. You may also consider discussing benefits like flextime policies or a workplace wellness program to show you are people-centered. Emphasizing these assets before getting into the details of the position itself will immediately set the right tone in showing candidates what you have to offer them both financially and culturally.
Quality over quantity.
When it comes to effective job descriptions, focusing on the qualitative content of your descriptions will always be better than focusing on the quantity of words. Rather than aim for a job description that contains a long list of the position’s responsibilities, make an effort to be as concise as possible so candidates can get a quick snapshot of exactly what the job entails and the qualifications and credentials required to be considered. The more specific you are instating the essential responsibilities of the job, the easier it will be for candidates to assess whether their background, experience, and skills are aligned with your required qualifications. It doesn’t matter if a job description is 200 words or 500 words, as long it is as precise and clear as possible.
As you refine your talent development strategy for the new year, evaluating your job descriptions and identifying areas of improvement can be a great place to start. By focusing on this part of your hiring process, your company’s recruitment efforts will benefit significantly as it becomes increasingly competitive to attract top talent.
Are you struggling to find the right talent for your organization? Learn how a strategic staffing partnership with HH Staffing can help you find the best candidates for your workforce needs.
Until Next Time,
Your Staffing Partner, Darrin Rohr- President, CEO, and Chief Servant
Current owner of HH Staffing and Former Chief HR Officer for several successful Multinational Fortune 500 Companies. Brings a fresh perspective from decades of experiences creating Great Workplace Cultures by building high-performance teams while leading and managing people from all different backgrounds. HH Staffing is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, and is uniquely positioned to serve both local and national clients.
