How to Create a Job Description That Converts Candidates

How do you stand out as an employer in this increasingly competitive job market? We’ve already touched on the importance of employer reputation in this help series, but even more vital is giving qualified candidates a simple and streamlined way to find and apply for the right job. And that starts with your job posting.

Most job postings are created almost verbatim from an internal job description, but these actually serve different purposes. What’s the distinction between them?

A job description is an internal, HR-driven tool that includes detailed clarification of job requirements and duties. It often has a more complex title to define department and hierarchical information, may include a requisition number, and can contain complex and lengthy descriptions. A job description’s goal is comprehensive clarity on the role and its function to internal parties.

A job posting, on the other hand, is an external, recruitment marketing-driven tool that should be a concise and engaging summary of a role, including high-level company and benefits information. The goal of a job posting is to interest candidates and ultimately get the right candidates to apply. While the posting should derive from the information in the job description, its form and language should be different and should consider the audience.

Above all, a job posting should be candidate-friendly. Use a clear, specific, and easily searchable title that will be widely recognizable. For example: “Recruiter” is good; “People Search & Screening Specialist” is not. Also, keep the information concise. Job seekers are predominantly and increasingly searching on a mobile device. Use bullets, short sentences, and brief paragraphs.

What exactly should go into a job posting? Here’s a helpful outline you can use as a template, and we’ve included an example from one of our own job postings below:

• Attention-grabbing opening:
  • 2-3 sentences providing a brief overview of your company
  • Use calls-to-action with a sense of urgency (e.g., “Apply Now,” “Immediately Hiring”)
• Why you’ll love working for us:
  • Up to five specific key benefits of the role and company
  • Address safety and flexibility
• What you’ll do:
  • Up to five key responsibilities and duties
  • Day-to-day activities and how the position fits into the organization to show purpose
• What we’re looking for:
  • Differentiate between requirements and preferences
  • 4-7 total experience bullets
• Close with alternate titles and keywords:
  • “Do you have experience as a landscaper or general laborer? Are you looking to establish and grow your career? We’d love to hear from you.”
  • Include your statements on diversity and equal employment opportunities.

Additionally, list compensation. Candidates are significantly less likely to apply if a pay rate isn’t listed, and in a growing number of states, listing compensation is a requirement. On platforms like Indeed—the most widely used job search site in the world—estimated compensation ranges are now included if compensation is not otherwise listed, so take advantage of the opportunity to communicate that information yourself.

Our example (click image for full-size):

Initially, it can take some time to re-format your job postings, but once you establish a template, it can be a seamless part of the process. Plus, the increase in qualified candidates is well worth it. To supplement our recruitment marketing specialists when creating job postings, Source2 uses an AI-driven tool called Textio to ensure our job postings appeal to the appropriate age and geographical demographics and that we are inclusive to all races, genders, ethnicities, and more. This is just one of the many pieces of our tech stack that helps our clients see more qualified candidates faster.

Source2 has decades of experience in recruiting, as well as success in the current market, and we can help with wage analysis, brand positioning, and recruiting on the right channels with the right content to help find the employees businesses on the front line need. Look for more articles in this help series on simple and cost-effective ways you can better position yourself to acquire talent, or connect with us directly for a conversation now by emailing solutions@source2.com.