Looking to hire new talent for your company? Crafting an appealing, informative job posting is crucial for attracting top candidates. Follow these tips to learn how to write job postings that will excite qualified applicants about your open positions.
Define the Role
Before writing your job posting, take time to carefully define the role you need to fill. Consider the following:
- What are the core responsibilities and duties for this position?
- What skills, abilities, and qualifications are required?
- What personality traits or soft skills are important?
- What are the day-to-day tasks and activities?
Having a clear sense of the role will allow you to accurately portray the job and its expectations in your posting. It will also help ensure you attract candidates who are a good match.
Highlight What Makes Your Company Desirable
Your job posting should convince top talent why they should want to work for your company. Include key details and selling points such as:
- Information about your company’s mission, values, and culture
- Any perks, benefits, and incentives you offer
- Opportunities for professional development and growth
- Positive team and workplace environment
Emphasizing your company’s strengths and unique attributes can give you a competitive edge over other employers vying for talented professionals.
Specify the Required and Preferred Qualifications
Clearly outline both the required and preferred qualifications for candidates to apply for the role. This includes:
- Level of education and specific degrees/certifications
- Years of directly related work experience
- Technical skills and knowledge
- Soft skills
- Any other minimum requirements
Also indicate qualifications that are not mandatory but preferred, such as:
- Experience in a particular industry
- Knowledge of certain software/tools
- Foreign language skills
Being transparent about your qualifications will help attract applicants who are truly a fit for the role.
Specify the Location
Clearly state where the position is located. Be sure to include:
- Whether the role is based in a central office, performed remotely, or a hybrid model
- If remote, note whether candidates need to live in/relocate to a certain city, state, or country
- For in-office roles, list the specific office location city
Specifying the job location details upfront prevents candidates from applying who may not be willing or able to work in that capacity.
List Responsibilities and Duties
Go beyond just a basic job title by providing a list of the key responsibilities and duties. Some details to include:
- Core functions and day-to-day tasks
- Metrics associated with the role, such as sales targets or productivity quotas
- Major projects and assignments
- Stakeholders they will work with or support
Giving candidates a glimpse into a typical day or week in the role allows them to determine if the job matches their interests and capabilities.
Specify Salary and Compensation
Decide whether to list the salary, hourly/annual pay range, or level of compensation for the role. Pros and cons include:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Allows candidates to assess if the pay matches their expectations | Giving a salary range could dissuade qualified candidates if lower than expected |
| Transparency builds trust with job seekers | Leaves little room for salary negotiations |
| Helps attract candidates motivated by compensation | Risks focusing applicants more on pay than skills/fit |
Even a broad range gives applicants an idea of the earning potential. You can still negotiate specifics later with the right candidate.
Explain the Application Process
Provide clear instructions on how candidates should apply for the opening. Include details like:
- How to submit their application – via email, online form, etc.
- What documents or materials to include – resume, work samples, etc.
- The deadline to apply and any other timing considerations
- Next steps after submitting their application
Specifying the application process sets qualified candidates up for success submitting a complete application packet.
Close with an Engaging Summary
End your job posting with a strong summary that gives applicants a final sense of excitement and opportunity. For example:
We are searching for a talented, results-driven candidate excited to bring their skills to a rapidly-growing organization. If you are passionate about making a difference and have the qualifications we are seeking, we encourage you to apply!
A compelling closing helps make a memorable final impression that motivates the right candidates to apply.
Proofread for Errors
Before posting the job description anywhere, carefully proofread it for any errors:
- Look for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors
- Double check that the job title and company information is correct
- Ensure the compensation, qualifications, and application details are accurate
- Ask a few others to review the posting and provide feedback
Having typos or inaccurate details in a job posting reflects poorly on your company’s brand. Scrutinizing the language ensures quality.
Post on Multiple Platforms
To maximize visibility, post the job description across multiple platforms, such as:
- Your company’s careers page and website
- Online job boards like Indeed, Monster, etc.
- Social media channels like LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.
- Industry job sites or forums
- Relevant local community groups
Casting a wide net ensures you reach the largest possible pool of qualified applicants actively looking for new roles.
Track Applicant Sources
Use tools to track where applicants are discovering the job posting. For example:
- Google analytics for your careers page
- Campaign tracking pixels with online job boards
- Custom application links for different social channels
Seeing which sources send the most applicants can help optimize your outreach strategy.
Manage Applications Efficiently
Use an applicant tracking system or recruiting software to help easily manage job applications. Features like automated screening questionnaires, candidate scoring, and resume parsing make sorting and evaluating applicants much easier at scale.
Conclusion
Writing an appealing, informative job posting is a foundational step to recruiting top talent for open positions. Defining the role, highlighting your employer brand, and specifying details like requirements, duties, location, and application instructions allow candidates to accurately assess if they are a good match. Maximizing exposure through online platforms and managing applicants smoothly further enables sourcing the best applicants. With these tips, you can craft job postings that attract the most qualified candidates for your company’s hiring needs.