Businesses that are hiring expect the finest candidates with top-notch CVs – and while it’s our pleasure to provide both, sometimes, one thing can stand in the way. The job description. A vague job description is the difference between top tech talent walking through your door and walking past it. On the other hand, well-structured job descriptions maximise the likelihood of a perfect fit, selling your company and opportunity in the most effective way.
Identifying the problem
A complicated and overly verbose job description is an immediate warning sign – especially in a market that consumes sharp, snappy content every day. Conversely, short or generic job descriptions create a disconnect between company and candidate. But it’s the skills section where most job descriptions fall down. In an attempt to be thorough, many businesses list reams and reams of desired skills. This can be problematic as it may attract individuals who have some of the skills but not the key ones. Plus, this can put-off candidates who have the relevant skills but don’t know which ones fully qualify them in the company’s eyes.
How can you create a strong job description?
Try to keep it around 500-700 words. This will ensure that essential information about the opportunity and organisation is given to potential candidates without underselling or exaggerating the role.
Imposing a word count also encourages clarity, which you can bolster by splitting the job description into areas, such as:
• Job title and reporting structure/team size (if applicable)
• Company profile/mission statement
• Clearly defined responsibilities
• Essential skills and desired skills
Specificity and transparency are key, ensuring applicants know what experience is crucial to the role.
By implementing these simple tips, you’ll attract a higher level of commitment from higher-calibre candidates immediately, saving time and money on a lengthy recruitment process. A really successful job description even aids with employee bedding-in, because the best candidates will pick-up on your company culture and the kind of relationships they need to make within the business.
Need an expert opinion on your job description methodology? OJ Tech is happy to help. Contact us today on +852 5804 9070.
