Writing Job Descriptions that Attract Top Talent

When you’re trying to fill open roles at your company, you want to attract the most qualified candidates for each position. And while each step of the hiring process (for example, sourcing and interviewing potential candidates) plays a key role in helping you find the right candidate for your new position, there’s one step that often gets overlooked that can make it easier and faster to connect with the kind of people you want to hire—and that’s the job description.

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The right job description can make a huge difference in your hiring process, making it easier to attract the talent you want at your company. But what, exactly, does the “right” job description look like? How can you write your job description in a way that not only grabs the attention of your ideal candidate—but shows them that the role you’re hiring for is the next best step in their career?

Let’s take a look at how to write an effective job description (including some examples to inspire your writing process).

What Is a Job Description—And What Should a Good Job Description Include?

A job description is a summary of everything potential candidates need to know to evaluate an opportunity. The more relevant information you include in your job description, the easier it is for candidates to understand the opportunity—and to determine whether it’s right for them.

While the content of job descriptions will vary by role (for example, a job description for a marketing manager will read differently than a job description for an administrative assistant, a web developer, or a call center representative), there are a number of key elements that all job descriptions should include. 

These must-have elements include:

• Job title and location. Candidates need to know what job they would be applying for—and where that job is located—from the get-go, so make sure to feature both prominently in your job description (preferably in the title and/or header).
• Job summary. Job titles don’t always give candidates a clear idea of the role; for example, “business manager” or “sales representative” are pretty generic titles—and, depending on the company, can mean completely different things. That’s why it’s important to include a clear summary of the role in your job description. In this section, you’ll also want to include any logistical information candidates will need to know about the role (for example, is the role part-time or full-time?).
• Key responsibilities. Your job description should also clearly state all the job duties, tasks, and day-to-day job responsibilities the new hire will be managing. 
• Job requirements. Your job description should clearly define what candidates will need to be considered for the role—including any required work experience (including the necessary years of experience), certifications, competencies, or specific skills you’re looking for in a candidate (for example, if you’re hiring a software engineer, you’ll want to list the specific coding languages they’ll need to know).
• Compensation information. While you may decide to hold off on disclosing salary range upfront—depending on your negotiation style—that doesn't mean you can't disclose other financial benefits, like stock options, overtime pay, bonus potential or any other perks. Think about what financial incentives will get candidates excited to work for you, and include them in your job description.
• Company information. Your job description shouldn’t just include information about the job—it should also include information about the company. Make sure to include any details about the work environment, company culture, and employer brand that job seekers would want and need to know—and/or any details about your company that would catch the attention of top talent. (For example, if you offer employees a flexible work schedule, an incredible benefits package, or industry-leading perks, you’ll want to include that in your job description.)
• Application instructions. The entire point of a job listing is to attract candidates for the position—so make sure you include instructions on how candidates can apply for the role (for example, sending their resume directly to the hiring manager, filling out an application through your online hiring portal, or emailing your human resources department). 
  

Tips For Writing Effective Job Descriptions

Writing job descriptions is an art; while the elements listed above will act as the foundation of an effective job description, if you want to attract quality candidates, you need to build on that foundation and take things to the next level.

Here are a few tips to write more compelling job descriptions—and find and hire the best people in the process:

• Be specific…Generic job postings don’t give candidates the information they need to fully evaluate an opportunity—and, as such, they’re likely to stop reading and move on to another job ad with a more in-depth description. So, if you want your job description to drive results, get specific. Share interesting details about the job and your company. Paint a picture of why this opportunity is one that potential employees don’t want to miss. The more specific and detailed you are in your job description, the more likely it is that it will grab candidates’ attention—and the more likely you’ll get responses from top-notch applicants.
• ...but also be concise. You want to be detailed and specific in your job posting—but you also don’t want to drone on for 10 pages. Active job seekers are reading through a lot of job descriptions—and if yours is too long, they might feel overwhelmed, lose interest, and move on to the next job ad. Aim to keep your job description to about a page—which is enough space to share key details and pique candidates’ interest, but not so long that they get bored or overwhelmed.
• Make it easy to read. As mentioned, candidates generally read a lot of job descriptions—so, if you want yours to stand out, you should make it as easy to read as possible. Keep paragraphs short and use bullet points and bulleted lists, which are easier to read than big blocks of text.
• Know your audience. There’s no universal formula for how to write a great job description. If you’re trying to attract an extroverted person to fill a sales position, the best job description would be different than it would be if you were trying to fill a more analytical role, like a data scientist—and vice versa. That’s why, when writing your job description, it’s important to keep your ideal candidate in mind—and write to that person. 
• Keep any requirements in mind as you’re writing. Where you’re posting your job description can also play a part in how you write it. For example, different job boards have different requirements—or, if you’re going to be sharing your job description on social media channels (like LinkedIn), you may need to follow the platform’s job description template in order to publish your job listing. So, before you write your job description, think about where you want to post it; then, check to see if there are any requirements you’ll need to follow as you’re writing.

Job Description Examples 

Need a little inspiration to write your own great job descriptions? Here are a few sample job descriptions (courtesy of Hourly!) to help get the creative juices flowing:

Associate Underwriter

Welcome to Hourly! We’re laser-focused on taking something that’s complicated and scary—paying your team, payroll taxes and workers’ comp insurance—and making it super simple. Life doesn’t have to be so complicated, so let’s build a simpler future together! Join us and become an integral part of this exciting journey.

The ASSOCIATE UNDERWRITER will support our Underwriters who are responsible for the elevation, selection, acceptance, rejection, pricing and servicing of workers’ compensation insurance policies within accepted company procedures and guidelines.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Data transferring efficiently and accurately
• Review workers’ compensation insurance applications and documentation
• Preparing written communication on adverse underwriting decisions, proposals, referrals, rate appeals, underwriting requirements, status and declinations
• Basic understanding of workers' compensation
• Assisting with binding of policies, processing of endorsements, renewal, and new business underwriting

BENEFITS

• Fully remote position with flexible hours
• A great team with warm company culture
• Prepaid healthcare plan
• 2 days off for your birthday
• 500K COP for every referral that joins the company
• Well-being refunds (up to 500K/month)
• Academic plans
• Top of the line equipment (MacBook, Original Apple Accessories, 27” Monitor, Herman Miller Chair)
  

Payroll Sales Advisor

Hourly is looking for entrepreneurial spirited team players who are excited to help build the future of workers’ comp and payroll. At Hourly, we are building the most advanced insurtech and payroll platform that seamlessly integrates with our workers’ comp offering, simplifying the entire process for business owners and our insurance agency partners. We’re growing fast and we’re looking for a talented, passionate Payroll Sales Advisor. We offer an attractive compensation and benefits package with the opportunity for residual income. This position will report to the Director of Payroll Sales.

Our payroll sales organization is growing and we are excited to hire the next member of our team. This position is 100% remote. We’re seeking an experienced sales professional with a track record of success in payroll and HCM sales. As a payroll sales advisor, you will be working closely with our insurance distribution team to identify potential payroll sales opportunities, as well as identifying other opportunities to generate and close new business.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• A top performer with 2+ years of B2B payroll and HR sales experience
• Entrepreneurial minded self-starter with discipline and desire to win more customers
• Track record of success building long-term relationships with key partners
• Ability to successfully operate in a fast-paced, dynamic, startup environment with high expectations of performance and cross-functional collaboration

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Drive revenue by closing payroll opportunities and identifying possible cross-sell opportunities
• Serve as a trusted payroll advisor to small to medium sized business owners and to our insurance agency partners
• Assist in onboarding of insurance agency and other potential partners
• Be a key voice on our cross-functional team across marketing, insurance distribution, payroll sales, customer success and product through an iterative learning process to improve our product and offering for small businesses and our partners

Here’s the perks and benefits you’ll enjoy:

• Fully remote position with flexible hours
• A great team with warm company culture
• Prepaid healthcare plan
• 2 days off for your birthday
• 500K COP for every referral that joins the company
• Well-being refunds (up to 500K/month)
• Academic plans
• Top of the line equipment (MacBook, Original Apple Accessories, 27” Monitor, Herman Miller Chair)

Get Out There And Write Compelling Job Descriptions

A job description is often the first exposure quality candidates have to the opportunities available at your company. And now that you know how to write compelling job descriptions, you have everything you need to write the kind of job listings that grab your ideal candidates’ attention—and show them why your job is the right job for them. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and get writing!