No man is an island.
Having the right team is crucial to achieving your business goals and growing your company.
Moreover, thanks to remote work’s popularity, you now have access to a bigger talent pool than ever before.
Many AU businesses are now outsourcing to countries like the Philippines, due to lower overhead costs and high-quality talent.
However, with so many candidates to choose from, how do you pick the best ones?
Guess what? The first step in hiring top talent is writing effective job descriptions.
A job description is a document outlining the essential responsibilities and requirements for a vacant position. It defines the role, sets performance expectations, and (in most cases) attracts suitable candidates.
Here are some tips to help you write an excellent job description to attract top talent.
Understand What the Role Is – and What it Requires
Before you write your job description, you must fully understand the role you’re hiring for. This means researching the responsibilities, qualifications, skills, and required experiences for it.
Break down the role into specific tasks and assignments so potential candidates know what the job entails.
Make the Job Description Easy to Read
Having a structured job description makes it easier for applicants to quickly see if they’re a good fit for the opening.
Typically, a job description is divided into four sections:
- Introduction: Summarizes the role and its impact on the company,
- A list of key responsibilities: These contain the role’s main tasks and objectives,
- A list of qualifications: These include all the must-have and nice-to-have skills and experience a candidate must have, and
- Closing invitation: A call to action for applicants to apply and how they can do so.
Use Clear, Concise, and Inclusive Language
Avoid using jargon or complex language.
Additionally, candidates are more likely to read concise job descriptions, so keep your sentences short and simple.
Finally, remember to use inclusive language to appeal to various candidates.
Begin With a Compelling Job Title and Summary
Your job title is the first thing applicants see.
Keep the job title within three to four words like “Virtual Assistant,” so applicants can easily search for them.
Additionally, avoid including eye-benefits when writing your job ad title as some applicants may think it’s a scam.
For example, instead of writing: “Admin Assistant – Flexible Schedule,” just write “Admin Assistant.”
Finally, include a brief (two to three sentences) summary of the role’s purpose, key duties, and significance below the job title.
Be Upfront About the Salary and Other Benefits
Applicants seek jobs with an attractive salary and benefits package.
Although some companies prefer to keep these confidential, mentioning a salary range in your job description can help attract top talent.
Don’t forget to highlight all the benefits you offer like health insurance, flexible work schedules, and career growth opportunities.
Some applicants are even willing to accept a lower-paying job in exchange for better benefits.
Emphasize Your Company Culture and Values
Aside from the salary, employees also want to know what it’s like to work with you.
Thus, include a short section discussing your company’s mission, vision, and core values. Be authentic about what you include here and avoid making unrealistic or false promises.
Doing so helps applicants determine whether their values align with yours.
Highlight the Role’s Key Responsibilities
Outline their day-to-day tasks, expected results, and any specific projects they’ll be responsible for.
Use bullet points when listing down the role’s responsibilities so applicants can easily read through and understand them.
Define Required Qualifications and Skills
Next, list down the role’s required qualifications and skills.
Avoid overly lengthy requirements and separate them between “must-have” and “nice-to-have” ones.
Typically, “must-have” requirements include:
- Hard skills,
- Necessary soft skills for the job,
- Education and experience level, and
- Any other legal and physical requirements.
On the other hand, “nice-to-have” requirements may include:
- Knowledge and experience working with specific software (unless this is key to the role and is thus a “must-have”)
- Experience working in a similar field.
This way, you can attract promising applicants with minimum experience but are willing to learn – as well as those with unique skills.
End With a Call to Action
Conclude your job description by encouraging candidates to apply. Include step-by-step instructions on how to do so.
Simplify the application process by providing a direct link to the application form and, if needed, mention any required documents (i.e. resumes, cover letters).
You may also want to include a point of contact for any questions or concerns they may have.
Optimize Your Job Description for SEO
Having a well-written job description wouldn’t do you any good if applicants don’t see it.
Thus, use relevant keywords for the role throughout to optimize it and make it appear higher on the list of search results.
Furthermore, keep your job description within three hundred to seven hundred words as Google favors this length.
Help Wanted!
A compelling job description is vital if you want to attract top talent.
By following the tips mentioned above, you’ll have an easier time creating one and start hiring top talent.
Considering outsourcing to the Philippines for the first time? Click here to see our full list of candidates.
Aside from virtual assistants, you can also outsource your bookkeeping and human resources needs to us. Good luck!
John Carlo Pagsolingan is a carefree yet hardworking writer with aspirations of becoming a teacher in the future. He believes that remote working isn’t just a substitute; but is a legitimate alternative to face-to-face work. Learn more as he writes about the advantages of remote work and tips for aspiring remote workers.
