How To Write Job Descriptions The Recruiter Reads

Job descriptions are important for many reasons. They can help you better understand what a job entails, provide insight into the responsibilities of employees who hold similar positions, and give hiring managers an idea of what skills we most value in candidates for that role.

However, job descriptions aren’t just designed to help us understand roles better  they also serve as a tool for recruiters and hiring managers to identify potential hires. When it comes to attracting new talent, nothing sells like an exciting description detailing all the perks that come with working at your company!

Job Title And Location

Job title and location. This is the most important part of your job description. Make it easy to see what this role will entail by using clear, concise language that communicates the essence of what you do in one line: “You will be responsible for managing all things data-related for our clients.”

Company name and industry, size, and type (e.g., B2B or B2C). This information gives candidates an idea of whether or not they’re interested in learning more about the company if they don’t know who you are yet. It also lets them know if there are any industry-specific skills required for this role that may not be listed elsewhere in your job description but could help them decide whether or not to apply regardless. 

If a candidate has been looking at other companies and would like some context on how yours stacks up against theirs, sharing these details can help make those comparisons easier.* Salary range and benefits package (i.e., “competitive salary with bonus potential”). Most importantly, always include information regarding salary range so applicants have an idea of what they can expect as compensation if hired before applying.

“Date posted” along with “position type” (full-time/part-time/contract/remote work) allows candidates who receive multiple offers from different companies to compare offers side by side while keeping all other details constant between jobs.

Where did this info come from? In addition to helping recruiters get a sense of what makes working at Company X unique compared with competing opportunities out there today, providing information on where you found these details helps us verify that everything is accurate before we start posting it out into the world!

Company Name, Industry, Size And Type

Finally, the recruiter needs to know who the company is, what industry they’re in, how big they are, and what kind of business it is in.

Look at this example below:

• Company name: My Company Inc.
• Industry: Software Development/Engineering Services
• Size: 25 employees (at time of writing)
• Type/Role of Job: Programmer Analyst – Full-time

Salary Range And Benefits

Another important part of any job description is the salary range and benefits package. You want to be as transparent as possible, but also make sure you avoid disclosing information that could give away your bottom line.

Salary range: This can be a tricky one because if you’re not careful, it’s easy to accidentally reveal too much. For example, if you put in an annualized ballpark number like $75K-$80K or $90-$95K instead of listing out a specific salary ($80K), recruiters may assume that’s what they’d make in their first year alone and might opt for another job where they could earn more right off the bat. 

Instead, try breaking down salaries into ranges instead of specific numbers; “Salary commensurate with experience” is a good example here—it gives candidates an idea of how much money they’re likely to make without giving away exact amounts for each level across every position. 

Work-life balance: Remember how we talked about how recruiters look at company culture? Well, one thing they look for here is whether or not employees are happy with their work-life balance (i.e., how many hours per week employees typically work). If someone works 40 hours per week but there’s still room for growth within their department or company overall then this tells them there’s potential for advancement down the road which means higher earnings potential.

Training and promotion opportunities: This lets candidates know whether or not they’ll have opportunities outside their current role when working with certain companies and even though it might seem like something only fresh graduates would care about now (since most entry-level roles don’t have promotions), keep in mind that Millennials tend towards job hopping anyway so this could impact turnover rates significantly when considering millennials who stick around long enough

Date The Role Was Posted

Post the date the role was posted on your website, the job board you used to post it, any social media you used to advertise it, and in an email if you sent one out.

It’s important for a candidate to know how long they have been waiting for a reply from your company and how long it took for you to get back in touch with them after accepting their application. This will build trust between yourself and the potential employee as well as make sure that there aren’t other people waiting around for your job offer too!

Position Type (E.G., Full-Time, Part-Time, Contract, Remote Work)

Adding the position type to your description is important, as it lets potential candidates know whether they’re applying for a full-time, part-time, or contract role. If you’re hiring remotely, you should include this information too.

Position types can vary depending on the industry and circumstances at play in your organization. For example:

Full-time employees are often eligible for benefits such as health insurance and paid time off; however, these benefits may not be available to part-time or remote workers.

Contractors usually do not receive any additional compensation beyond their agreed-upon rate of pay (though some companies have been known to offer additional perks). However, contractors typically have more freedom than full-time employees when it comes to scheduling projects and taking vacations–so if that’s important to you as a company owner/manager then that may be beneficial.

Company Culture Description

When writing your company culture description, it’s important to keep in mind that this is the first thing recruiters will read about your organization. They want to know what kind of environment you provide for your employees and how that compares with other companies in your industry.

The best way to do this is by providing concrete examples of how the company has demonstrated its commitment to the values and mission statement in the past. This could be through employee benefits (e.g., a flexible work schedule), programs that support employees during life transitions (e.g., a relocation program), or other initiatives (e.g., charitable giving).

Employee Responsibilities

The next section is where you’ll describe the employee’s responsibilities.

In this section, you want to focus on what the employee will be doing on a day-to-day basis. For example: “You will facilitate weekly and monthly team meetings.”

It’s important that this section be phrased as a list of responsibilities because recruiters typically skim through job descriptions at lightning speed when they’re looking for qualified candidates. The easiest way for them to find qualified candidates is by recognizing keywords or phrases in their jobs descriptions that match up with the skill sets they need to be filled at their company (more on this later). 

Your goal should be to make sure your responsibilities are phrased in such a way that they stand out from other roles within your organization.

Must-Have List Of Ideal Candidate Skills And Qualifications

In addition to the skills and qualifications that are essential for the role, you should also provide a list of skills and qualifications that are desirable. These items might not be critical to success in the role, but they can increase job satisfaction or make the candidate more effective.

Finally, you should include a list of skills and qualifications that are not required but would make it easier for someone to perform well in this position if they have them. This is where your discretion comes into play: don’t include every skill or qualification under the sun; just choose those that make sense for your particular organization or industry.

You may also want to include a final category: preferred candidates. These individuals have an advantage over others because their skill sets match what you are looking for exactly (or nearly so). However, these preferences do not make them any more likely to get hired than other candidates who lack these qualities they just help narrow down your potential pool by focusing on people who already meet most of your needs!

Desirable Candidate Skills And Qualifications

Be specific. Recruiters don’t have time to figure out what your job means, so they need you to be very clear about the skills and qualifications you’re looking for. 

Don’t use vague terms like “good communicator” or “experienced”; instead, include the skills and qualifications that are most relevant to the job (and thus make you more likely to hire someone). 

For example, if your hiring process requires some knowledge of X software program, then mention this program in your job description as one of your desired candidate skills. You can also include additional requirements such as “excellent problem-solving abilities” or “ability to prioritize large workloads under tight deadlines” if those are relevant for this particular position.

Use bullet points when possible. Many recruiters scan application forms electronically these days especially when there’s a lot of information to read through so it helps if you make it easy for them by using bullet points whenever possible! This way they won’t have trouble finding the information they need quickly in order to decide whether or not someone is qualified enough apply for an interview slot with them later on down the line.”

Reporting Relationships Within The Organization

In this section, you’re describing the relationships within your organization. This is an especially important section for new hires to understand, as it helps them get a sense of how they’ll fit into the company’s overall structure.

You should include:

• Who they will be reporting to (the title and name of the person)
• Who they will be working with (the titles and names of people)
• Who they will support (other departments or projects)
• Who they will interact with (colleagues and clients/customers)

The list goes on and it varies depending on what kind of job you are writing about. Consider including any details that would help a new hire understand their role in relation to other roles and people in your company.

What’s In It For The Applicant (E.G., Growth Potential, Travel)

You should also consider listing what the applicant can gain from the job. This could include:

• What they will be doing on a day-to-day basis
• What kind of growth potential do they have in this role
• The work culture of your company, including how people interact with each other and how decisions are made

Education And Experience Requirements

The education and experience requirements are the next important piece of information to include. Use this section to explain what level of education is required, when the candidate needs to have graduated, and what type of work experience they need to have in order for you to consider them for this role.

Also, you can include additional requirements here about things like certifications or licenses that would be a plus for the job but not necessarily required (if there are any).

Application Instructions (E.G., “Send Resume To” Or “Click Here To Apply”)

If you want to capture the attention of a recruiter, make sure you have a clear call to action. For example, if your job posting ends with “Click here to apply,” and there is no place on the page for candidates to fill out an application or submit their resume and cover letter, what will they do? They won’t apply! Make sure that at the bottom of every job description there is a link leading directly back to your application form.

This doesn’t mean that you need to create dozens of different links for every single job description on your website (although it’s definitely possible). Instead, try including one link at the bottom that reads something like “View All Openings.” 

This way any visitor can quickly access all open positions across multiple locations or departments without having to hunt around for each individual listing. This also serves as an easy way for recruiters looking through all available opportunities in one spot instead of having separate tabs open per location/department.”

Use These Tips To Create A Job Description That Will Catch The Attention Of Recruiters And Hiring Managers

The first thing you need to do is create a job description template. The template should include the following sections:

• Job title and company name
• Who you’re hiring for this position (yourself, another person at your company, or a third party)
• What your ideal candidate looks like professionally, including their skills and qualifications
• Why they should apply for this position (and what they’ll get out of it)

Once you’ve got all that written down, check back over it with a fine-tooth comb to make sure there aren’t any typos or grammatical errors. Then send it off!

Conclusion

Our job descriptions are meant to catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. By following these simple tips, you can make sure yours is one that stands out from the crowd!