Hiring Managers: 5 Tips for Writing Attractive Job Descriptions

Hiring a quality candidate entails writing an attractive job description. In the long run, the energy you spend on crafting the job description saves time and effort by getting you a better pool of candidates—and in less time. Follow these five tips for writing better job descriptions.

1. Write conversationally. A good job description provides insight into what it is like to work in the position and for this specific company. Give an idea of the company culture. One partial example could be, “We’re like a big family, all about company picnics and happy hours. At the same time, we’re confident enough to let you run with a great idea.”

2. Prioritize. What are the most important requirements for the job? Focus on these rather than on composing long lists of every single skill or educational attribute needed. Remember that many hard skills can be taught; include those that are absolutely necessary from the start.

3. Be generous but not too generous. Instead of setting out a firm requirement for years of experience, list a range. Make room for candidates who have transferable skills, even if these skills don’t exactly match everything you think you want. For example, a parent with volunteer experience planning and hosting parties has many transferable skills for an event planning position. In this case, emphasize soft skills rather than hard skills.

4. Provide specifics. Instead of saying, “Collaborate with team members,” say something like, “Collaborate with designers, reporters and editors to create infographics for news stories.” As with tip #1, though, prioritize the tasks or responsibilities you list here.

5. Beware of the fat. Many job candidates are busy, and they’re reading your description on a mobile device. Read your draft over on your own cellphone and make sure it’s easy to read. Never go with a giant block of text. Use subheaders and bullet points to break up your text.