How To Write A Good Job Description

It can be difficult to figure out how to write a good job description, especially if you just created the position you’re hiring for.

If you’re unsure where to begin, the sheer amount of job description layout alternatives available can make deciding on the right job description format for your company difficult.

Understanding how to create job description formats for the jobs that your firm relies on necessitates a thorough grasp of and mapping of your company’s new hire requirements. Each firm is different, therefore the finest job profile in an IT company circuit could not be the best in a medical office.

We’ve got everything you’ll need in this post to learn how to write a job description for your firm or to improve the fantastic company culture you’ve worked so hard to create.

What Is A Job Description?

A job description should include key corporate information such as the organization’s mission, culture, and any employee benefits. It may also identify who reports to whom and the compensation range for the position.

The key responsibilities, actions, qualifications, and abilities for a role are summarized in a job description. This document, often known as a JD, outlines the type of job done.

A good job description will give candidates enough information to assess their qualifications for the role. Furthermore, according to an Indeed survey, 52 per cent of job searchers believe the quality of a job description significantly impacts their decision to apply for a position.

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What Should A Job Description Contain?

Though every area of your job ad is important, a few job description sections are particularly important in attracting candidates’ attention and demonstrating whether your job is a suitable fit for their career.

Every element of a job description must achieve a certain aim. Knowing how to turn a job description into a terrific job opportunity necessitates knowing what each section is responsible for.

1. Occupational Title

Your work title should be interesting and appropriate for the position. If you choose a “creative” job title like “web design wizard,” people won’t find your job post since they don’t search for that title. More information can be found in the next section!

2. Job Description

Understanding what prospects will find most appealing about the big picture of your position has a lot to do with knowing how to write job profile summary sections effectively. Consider what your ideal candidate will find most intriguing about the position’s real-world impact or its unique role in your firm when describing job profile highlights to readers.

See How to Write a Cover Letter with no Experience

3. Responsibilities and Expectations

These sections should outline the role’s specific responsibilities and the criteria for evaluating candidates. Make your lists as concise and reader-friendly as possible – we’ll go over this in more detail later in the article!

4. Who We Are

This part should give readers a favorable impression of your company and brand.

5. Make a Fantastic Job Title

Job titles are the first impression candidates get of your company, therefore they should be interesting.

Even if your company’s special needs will make it somewhat different from other positions with the same title, your job title must contain the most generally used and acceptable job title.

The first thing to consider when developing an appealing job title is what your ideal candidate finds appealing.

When selecting how to create a job title, the second item to consider is including the keywords you’ll need for your job post to appear in search results.

6. Attractive qualities of your ideal candidate

Candidates are drawn to their areas of expertise, so be explicit with job titles. Include a description of the position along with the job title.

This would change your job title from “Marketing Manager” to “Marketing Manager – Online Community Engagement.”

7. Hone the tasks and responsibilities

The requirements and responsibilities part of many job descriptions may appear to be boilerplate, but if that’s the case, the job description isn’t very good.

The importance of accuracy in the roles and responsibilities portions of the job description cannot be emphasized, as errors here may drive applicants to abandon your ad. Although there is a lot of information to cover, these components of your job description can still be entertaining and reader-friendly.

See How to Write a Cover Letter with no Experience

8. Responsibilities

Focus on a high-level list of responsibilities that isn’t too technical in this part. For a Marketing Manager position, here’s a sample “Responsibilities” section:

Investigate, categorize, and comprehend our target audiences, and how to effectively engage them.

Assist with the development of our brand. You’ll be responsible for defining our brand’s values and bringing them to life across a number of assets and channels.

9. Organize and manage paid media campaigns across all platforms.

Organize and direct end-to-end marketing campaigns. You’ll be in charge of messaging, creativity, production, and distribution. You’ll bring everything together into a captivating story for our prospects and customers, working across functions and agencies.

In charge of our customer marketing. You’ll turn our clients’ stories into engaging videos, case studies, sales collateral, and more.

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Requirements/Qualifications

• You’ll write out the exact requirements for candidates in this area, from the required years of experience to the required degree of expertise for the tools they’ll use.
• Here’s an example of a “Requirements” section for the same Marketing Manager position:
• 3+ years of experience as a marketing manager or in a similar role.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
•  Self-motivated, capable of developing a strategy, prioritizing tasks, and executing to agreed-upon deadlines both independently and in conjunction with others.
• You have an adventurous and creative mindset and enjoy trying new things.
• You’ve already mastered a couple marketing automation and CRM systems, with Salesforce and Marketo getting bonus points.
• You have a track record of meeting or exceeding marketing objectives on a regular basis.
• Ability to prioritize and triage real-time demands of ongoing marketing projects, campaigns, and company initiatives, as well as a high-energy, outgoing, can-do mentality.

How To Make Changes To Your Job Description

One of the most significant job description best practices on your to-do list is editing your job description.

If you’re serious about drafting a decent job description, you’ll go over it completely and not be afraid to make modifications that are necessary.

Here are some pointers to help you with your job description editing:

• Examine each element of your job description separately, and how each section interacts with the others.
• Have a few folks who have some of the abilities you’re looking for reading your job description. These individuals can tell you if your job description passes “the believability test,” which is critical for attracting top candidates.
• Make an effort to read your job description aloud. This is the most effective technique to see how well your job description “flows” from one point to the next. As you read the sentences, this activity will highlight any awkward ones.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment. Use the editing step to re-shape elements of your job description that are awkward, vague, or just dull, as this is your only chance to fix items that aren’t working for your job description.

Editing can be time-consuming, so be patient and persistent as you work to improve your results (and avoid pulling your hair out).

Related Post: Sales Representative Job Description Sample for 2023

What To Avoid When Writing A Job Description

When drafting job descriptions, stay away from the following:

1. Discrimination

An equal opportunity disclaimer is a wonderful place to start if you want to build a diverse workplace, but even unconscious bias in your job description language will lose you, candidates.

When you ask for a “Marketing Manager with 10 years of experience,” you’re excluding younger, more brilliant candidates, and when you state you’re “looking for salesmen,” you’re implying a gender prejudice.

2. Requesting too much

Unrealistic requirements are off-putting, and you may not need to include them unless you wish to hire a previous President.

Determine what abilities are required and what can be learned on the job, and only put the latter in your job adverts. If you already have someone in mind who you think would be a good fit for the job, send them a tailored email.

3. Negativity

Even if you wish to reject unqualified individuals, list job requirements in a clear yet pleasant tone. Starting with a statement like “prospects with less than 5 years of experience will not be considered” is an unfavorable way to introduce your job, and it will have an impact on how all candidates perceive your employer brand.

4. Putting structure aside

A good job description is both straightforward and appealing. Make your adverts easy to read because job candidates may search for open positions on mobile phones.

Bulleted lists are easier to read than paragraphs written in a narrative style. Separating tasks from requirements and must-have from nice-to-have talents is also easier with well-structured sections.

5. Being enigmatic

You want your job adverts to pique the interest of potential candidates, but you don’t want to come across as secretive.

The job title and responsibilities should clearly state what you want from your future hire. Make clear any non-negotiable requirements, such as required certificates, a valid driver’s license, and working hours. If you do it this way, you’ll avoid potential deal-breakers later in the hiring process.

A well-written job description can pave the way for a smooth hiring process. After your job post has attracted candidates’ interest, demonstrate your company culture with an appealing careers website and screen candidates with a simple and effective application process.

Conclusion

While developing job description writing templates and samples will help keep things consistent, bear in mind the type of personality and attitude that will be successful in the role to guarantee those who apply feel a fit — or will complement the fantastic corporate culture you’ve worked so hard to establish.

Reference

• resources.workable.com – How to write a good job description
• wright.edu – Writing an Effective Job Description
• lever.co – How to Write a Great Job Description
• builtin.com – How to Write a Great Job Description

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