How to Write a Standout Job Description

1
Standout
How to Write a Job Description

• A Guide for
• Hiring Managers
• and Recruiters

2
Attracting the Right Candidates

• As a hiring manager or recruiter, your goal is to
  attract the best and brightest individuals to
  your organization.
• A thorough and well-written job description that
  clearly outlines the qualities and skills youre
  looking for in a candidate will help you attract
  the most qualified applicants.
• Writing a job description presents an opportunity
  for you to frame the role as youd like to see
  it, and enables you to illuminate the atmosphere
  of your organization to applicants (e.g.
  fast-paced and professional, or creative and
  flexible).

3
Anatomy of a Job Description

• The following information applies to nearly every
  job, whether part-time, full-time, seasonal or
  contract-based.
• Job Title Summary
• Department Supervisor
• Term and Type of Employment (e.g. full-time,
  part-time, permanent, seasonal, contract, etc.)
• Skills Qualifications
• Key Areas of Responsibility
• Organizational Atmosphere Perks
• Company Overview
• Salary Benefits Summary

4
1. Job Title Summary

• Job Title
• If one doesnt already exist, create a job title
  for the position youre looking to fill.
• Make sure the job title is clear and captures the
  level of responsibility (e.g. assistant finance
  supervisor, or senior writer).
• Job Summary
• Write a brief description (2-3 sentences) about
  the purpose of the position and the general
  responsibilities and duties the employee will
  perform.

5
2. Department Supervisor

• Department
• Indicate which department the applicant would
  work for (e.g. accounting, customer relations,
  etc.)
• Supervisor
• Make it clear who the applicant would report to
  and where that person falls within the
  organizational structure (e.g. The senior
  communications representative will report
  directly to the Chief of Operations.).
• Also indicate any individuals/departments with
  whom the applicant would regularly work or
  interact.

6
3. Term Type of Employment

• Term of Employment
• Make sure to indicate prominently whether the
  position is permanent, temporary, seasonal, or
  contract-based.
• Type of Employment
• Dont bury important information about whether
  the position is full-time, part-time, or a paid
  or unpaid internship in mountains of text. Make
  sure this information stands out prominently
  within the job description.
• If the position is an unpaid internship, you must
  follow the federal legal criteria.

7
4. Skills Qualifications

• List all of the skills required for the position,
  and be specific.
• For example, rather than writing Must be
  computer proficient, elaborate. Must have
  experience with MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
  Photoshop experience preferred, but not
  required. This lets candidates know exactly what
  is required.
• Indicate the required or desired education level
  for the position, as well as years of experience
  and any required or helpful certifications or
  licenses.

8
5. Key Areas of Responsibility

• When describing the key areas of responsibility
  for the position (typically between 5 and 10),
  use action verbs, such as
• Research Delegate
• Write Prepare
• Communicate Maintain
• Oversee
• Indicate how often the applicant will perform any
  given task and how much time theyll spend on it.
  This will help them form expectations about the
  demands of the job.
• Also, be sure to indicate the location of the
  position and clearly outline any travel
  requirements.

9
6. Organizational Atmosphere Perks

• This is your opportunity to play up perks like
  gym memberships and workplace wellness programs
  for employees, and to describe the atmosphere and
  culture of your organization.
• Honesty is key here and will help you find
  candidates that are a good match.
• If work hard, play hard describes the culture
  of your organization, say so. If your company
  demands high production but also strives to help
  employees achieve work-life balance, make it
  clear in the job description.

10
7. Company Overview

• Attracting applicants who are aligned with the
  mission and values of your organization to the
  greatest extent possible is preferred, and for
  many organizations, its essential.
• Include a brief description about the
  organizations mission, goals, and size (single
  location, multi-national, etc.)
• Also indicate why youre filling/adding the
  position. For example Our international
  marketing firm is seeking to expand its reach in
  the U.S. and is currently looking for a marketing
  specialist

11
8. Salary Benefits Summary

• Unless your company has a specific policy against
  posting information about salary and benefits,
  include this information in the job description.
• Applicants will appreciate the transparency, and
  including this information up front will help
  filter out unsuitable candidates.
• If your company offers an attractive benefits
  package that includes things like a 401K, health
  savings account, and medical, dental, and vision
  coverage, be sure to highlight this.

12
Tips on Formatting

• Use bullet points and bolded headings whenever
  possible.
• Write short paragraphs, which are easier to
  consume.
• Use direct language and be specific to help
  applicants imagine themselves in the position.
• Use action verbs to describe duties and
  responsibilities.
• Highlight the culture of your organization.
• Dont forget to include contact information.

13

• Recruiterbox is the developer of recruiting
  software to help companies efficiently track job
  applicants. The intuitive, easy-to-use software
  helps recruiters manage dozens or even hundreds
  of resumes and interviews per week. Created by
  Aplopio Technology, the Recruiterbox system was
  designed with busy hiring managers in mind. To
  learn more about the companys innovative
  software, visit recruiterbox.com.