Do you ever flick through the CVs you’ve received for a vacancy and wonder why some applicants thought they’d be the right fit for the role? You’re not the only one. But while you may bemoan the lack of quality candidates in your industry, there’s a good chance that the reason for the mismatch actually lies much closer to home.

The calibre of the applicants is directly related to the quality of the job description you create. Yes, there will also be other factors at play, such as the location, salary and availability of the skills you require, but the job description is central to selling the role and attracting the type of candidates you really want to hear from.

Not sure how to write a job description that gets the job done? Then read on!

Introduce the company and the position

Think of the opening gambit of your job description as an opportunity to sell the company and the position. In an extremely competitive job market, you have to work hard to attract the top candidates. You should give applicants a clear idea of the company’s culture, size, location, what it does and who it does it for. This is also a good place to include some of the soft skills you’re looking for in a potential candidate as they are often not included in CVs.

Create an accurate list of duties and responsibilities

Many employers are so embroiled in the day-to-day operations of the business that they create a list of duties which is full of jargon and is not an accurate reflection of what the job really involves. In some cases, the list only really speaks to individuals who already have an understanding of the role, which limits the potential talent pool tremendously.

To create a comprehensive and jargon-free list of duties and responsibilities required for the job role, you should go through a typical day and note down the tasks that are performed, including:

• a jargon-free description of the task,
• the skills need to perform the task, and
• the intended result or outcome.

This approach will typically result in an overly comprehensive list of tasks that doesn’t reflect the priorities. To resolve that, you should strip the list down to between five and seven key tasks and essential functions that are most representative of the role.

Be selective about the job requirements

Overdoing the job requirements can be a real application killer. Data from a leading job site shows that descriptions of between 200 and 500 words receive 30 percent more applicants than other postings, so the requirements must be expressed concisely. It’s essential you state the ‘essential’ requirements that candidates must have to be considered for the role. These should be communicated by way of a bulleted list.

Many employers also include ‘desired’ requirements that can be specific and tend to reduce the potential talent pool dramatically. We’d advise that unless it’s a make-or-break requirement, it’s not worth including.

Highlight the salary and the benefits

Some employers choose not to include the salary range on a job description. That is something we strongly advise against. No matter how wonderful you think the opportunity is, the salary is the single most important piece of information on a job description for the vast majority of prospective candidates. Everyone has a salary in mind that they want to achieve to maintain their lifestyle and ensure their financial commitments are met. Candidates will want to ensure that this box is ticked before they spend time applying.

You should also detail all the benefits that the successful candidate will receive. Benefits are extremely competitive these days and candidates will want to make sure you’re an employer that values their work. These benefits do not have to be purely monetary. Flexible working practices, cycle-to-work schemes and even free or subsidised meals are all regarded as valuable benefits these days.

Find talented candidates that speak your language

As a specialist bilingual recruitment agency, we can help you create job descriptions that speak specifically to bilingual workers so you can find the perfect candidate for the role. Call 02392 987 765 or email info@linguistica-recruitment.com to discuss your requirements with our team.