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How to Write a Job Posting That Attracts Top Talent

05 / 30 / 18 | Employers

All employers know the pain of hiring the wrong candidate for the job.

Sometimes, relationships just don’t work out and we have to go our separate ways. No matter how experienced and qualified someone may be for the job, it doesn’t mean they’re a great fit for your particular position or workplace.

But what if you could avoid that from the get-go?

No, you can’t see the future. You can, however, start writing job descriptions that attract the right candidates for the job.

Unfortunately, not enough employers actually write effective job descriptions. Here’s how to write a job posting that helps make sure the right people apply for your available positions.

What’s So Important About Writing a Job Description?

Well, a lot.

If you were looking for a potential long-term relationship partner on a dating website, you would probably want to get a good idea of someone’s personality, interests, and emotions, from their profile bio, right?

You wouldn’t want to waste time running through first date after first date because they described themselves inaccurately. Sometimes people have a tendency to over-advertise themselves online. Other times, people simply leave out important information.

Writing a job description isn’t much different.

According to a study from Career Builder, over half of employers have hired a bad candidate for the job. When asked how this negatively affected the workplace, U.S. employers pointed to deteriorating employee morale and lost profits due to time wasted training the bad hire.

Now, it’s important to point out that these “bad” hires weren’t necessarily unqualified or lying during their interviews. In fact, there’s a good chance the employer provided less than stellar job description examples.

Only half of the hiring process falls on your candidates – the other half falls on you to be honest and provide thorough job description examples.

How to Write a Job Posting and Find the RIGHT Candidates

It’s okay, you’re not alone. Many employers aren’t quite sure how to advertise their business for potential hires.

With the growth of company cultures and workplace environments, understanding how to write a job posting is more important than ever. You need to provide everything a candidate should know about not only the position, but your workplace culture.

It’s a lot easier said than done. Here are some points to keep in mind to help you figure out how to write a job posting that attracts only the best possible talent for your position.

Say More – But Keep Things Concise

According to Indeed, job description examples between 700 to 2,000 words get 30% more interest from candidates. This is a pretty broad range but even the low end around 700 gives you a lot of room to really sell the job.

Your job description should be catchy and provide a fairly detailed depiction of what a day-in-the-life looks like for potential employees. Your candidates don’t want to wade through unsuccessful interviews any more than you do.

Ask for Input from the Department’s Employees When Writing a Job Description

No one knows the job better than the folks who work it every day. If you’re looking for someone to join your marketing team, ask workers in the marketing department what kind of qualities they need in a coworker. What should be avoided?

Provide a Salary Range

If an enthusiastic and motivated candidate with a slight lack of experience came along, would you be willing to hire them? Sometimes, the most experienced people aren’t necessarily the best fit for the job. Providing a salary range gives you the opportunity to find employees that will learn and grow with your company.

Request a Unique Cover Letter

Ask candidates to submit a cover letter with some useful information you normally don’t find on a resume. What are they hoping to get out of the position? What kind of qualities do they look for in an ideal workplace?

Bad and Good Job Posting Examples to Give You Some Inspiration

Your job posting should include a few key pieces of information:

  1. The official title.
  2. A quick summary in the first few sentences.
  3. A detail of the responsibilities and expectations.
  4. Prerequisites and requirements for the job.
  5. Provide a day-to-day example.

Use these job posting examples as a guide to understand what works and what doesn’t when writing a job description.

Don’t Do This

Front Desk

  • Answering phones
  • Greeting patients
  • Assisting the doctor as needed
  • Compensation upon interview

Don’t use short bullet points in your job posting – it’s not enough information. Who will the candidate will be talking to on the phone? What will they be assisting the doctor with? What qualifications are needed? Plus, no qualified candidates want to attend a job interview without a general compensation rate.

Do This Instead

Join Our Chiropractic Office as a Customer Service Rep

We’re a bustling practice in Seattle, Washington looking for a motivated front desk associate to join our team. We value teamwork, customer satisfaction, and laughs.

Job duties include:

  • Making appointments by phone and checking the company email.
  • Coordinating with insurance companies by phone.
  • Greeting patients when they arrive and walking them back into the rooms.
  • Answering patient questions as needed.
  • Setting up the X-ray machine and sanitizing tables.

Compensation starts at $12 per hour and is negotiable based on experience.

This job posting example lets the candidate know that the office is busy and they will need to work together with team members to get things done. The candidate can tell if the salary is right for them right away. They also get a good idea of what a day-in-the-life looks like before finding out it isn’t right for them.

How Atlas Staffing Can Help in Your Job Search

At Atlas Staffing, we put respect and dignity above everything else and our goal is to elevate people. We achieve this by providing a constructive and flexible platform for employers and employees to find each other in the Spokane, Boise, Yakima, and Tigard areas. We try to make everyone’s lives a little easier.

If you’re an employer who’s sick of running through job posting examples and job description examples, get in touch with us. Our unique Professional Search and Staffing Services can help you find the qualified and motivated candidates you’re looking for – both permanent and temporary.

Apply for access to our exclusive Client Portal today!

 

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