Laws of Attraction – Writing a Compelling Job Description
By Bruce Powell
Those of us who regularly deal with finding and recruiting top talent know that true top performers are always in demand. They don’t need to look for their next role – opportunities come to them. They also probably have multiple opportunities to choose from, so finding top talent is just the beginning – they real key is attracting them and getting them to want to work for you - to choose your company over the others that are also courting them.
One of the best ways to go about doing this is with a well-crafted job description, or better yet ”opportunity profile”. Remember that the goal isn’t to just describe the role or list the responsibilities, it’s to generate excitement and interest in the candidate. The real goal is to communicate the WIIFM – the ‘what’s in it for me’ and sell them on why your offering is better than anyone else’s. Here’s how:
Know What You Want (Sharpen Your Focus)
It’s important to have a clear vision of the type of person you want to hire and to focus your job description on capturing their attention and interest. Your opportunity profile is quite often your only opportunity to “market” your role to your target audience so make sure your message is compelling and offers clear benefits to job seekers.
Know What THEY Want
Before you can set out to create a job description that will attract top talent, it’s important to understand the things your target demographic view as important. Job traits like frequent travel might seem great to young professionals who aren’t tied down, but could be a deterrent to senior executives who value time at home with family. Figure out the things that your target candidates value, and highlight the ones that your company offers.
Answer The ‘Why’ (Benefits vs. Features)
Many job descriptions are simply a list of what the duties and responsibilities of the job are, followed by a list of skills or experiences the role requires. Consider those “features.” The opportunity you are describing offers benefits to job seekers; make sure your job description communicates them. When a person asks themselves “Why do I want to work here?”, make sure you’re giving them the answer to that question. What will the successful candidate get out of the role? Whatever the “features” of the job may be, make sure to present the “benefits” too.
Sell Your Company
Remember that the position you’re recruiting for probably exists in other companies. While it’s important to communicate specifics about the role itself, it’s also critical to convey information about your company. A great candidate is not just applying to an opportunity; they’re choosing a company to join. There are lots of great things about your company that employees value – use them to help sell your company to candidates!
Leverage The Viral Network
Here are a few other tips to help make your next job description stand out and attract star candidates to your opportunity:
- Write job descriptions in a natural voice that conveys some of the personality of your company. Avoid cliché terms and keep the business jargon to a minimum. Read it back to yourself when you’re done – would you be excited about the opportunity?
- Ensure aspects of the job that are most appealing are highlighted and stand out.
- A well-written job description shouldn’t just be informational – it should be inspirational!
Adopting the best practices shared here will give your next job description a life of its own and even give it legs amongst the viral network. Because if people who don’t fit the role are inspired to pass it along, then you know you’re doing something right.
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Bruce Powell, Managing Partner, established IQ PARTNERS as a leading recruitment firm to help entrepreneurial companies hire better, hire less, and retain more.
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IQ
Insight is published by IQ
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