Writing a Great Job Description
It's no secret - great job descriptions attract great candidates. But, unless you're a master wordsmith, getting everything in place can be tricky.
We've written a few blog posts to help you out, which you can check out here and here.
In addition, we wanted to share with you our not-so-secret outline to make job description creation a snap!
Summary of the company
- Explain what type of company you are
- What are your future goals?
- What problems are you trying to solve?
- What is unique or meaningful about your culture?
Summary of the job
- Discuss the day-to-day the job
- What department is the job in?
- Who will this person be working daily with (customers, coworkers, etc.)?
Critical functions of the job
- How does this job relate to the company goals?
- How will this employee help the company?
Job requirements (whether mandatory or preferred)
- Education
- experience
- Technical knowledge and skills
- Travel requirements (if applicable)
Equipment used for the job (if applicable)
- Software
- Heavy machinery
Company benefits and perks
- Salary range
- Health insurance
- 401k
- Vacation plans
- What makes your organization unique?
We hope this outline helps you on the road to excellent candidates. Feel free to reach out with questions at any time - hire@trakstar.com!
What to avoid?
Here are a few things you may want to avoid when writing your job descriptions.
Job descriptions that are just a list of duties and recquirements
You want to entice your candidates, not just tell them what you need from them. Imagine walking up to a perfect stranger and saying "I need someone to do this, that, and another thing. Will you do it for me?". Chances are, that person's answer will be "Who are you? Why would I want to help you".
It's the same in the job market. You need to sell your company to candidates! Tell them what makes your organization a great place to be. Tell them what you'll do for them.
Missing the salary
Studies show a 25%-35% drop in candidates when your job doesn't clearly list the salary.
Missing the benefits
Do you offer a stipend for equipment or travel? Great health insurance? Discounts? Share that! Candidates want to know what cool stuff they can expect from the company.
Failure to "sell" your company
Candidates want work that excites them, and they want to do it for a company that they feel good about. You know your organization is great, but the candidate doesn't! Not until you tell them what makes it so great. You could:
- Be excited!
- Share a link to your website, or someplace they can read more about your team
- Have employee testimonials