How do you write job postings and job descriptions?
The job posting is one of the most important elements of the recruitment process. The job posting and job description are many candidates' first impression of your company, so it's important that both are exciting and attractive to the candidates you want to attract.
At the same time, it's equally important that the job posting and job description are true to the position. Candidates reading the job posting should be able to form a clear picture of what the job entails and what is expected of the new employee in the position.
In this article, we will go through how to write a good job posting. We'll explore what you should include in the job posting and job description, and how to ensure that the job posting and job description thoroughly summarize which candidate profile is best suited to the position while maintaining the right level of openness to the skills and competencies of individual candidates.
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What should your job posting include?
It is important that the job posting is short and to the point, and that it presents the job attractively, but at the same time gives a realistic picture of the position and its requirements and conditions.
In addition, you should be aware that the job posting is one of the most important elements of the recruitment process - partly because it is an essential part of your company's brand. The job posting and job description is the first impression many candidates will have of your company. Therefore, you need to ensure that the tone and visual expression of your job posting reflects the company, so that candidates get the right impression of you from the first "meeting".
Below we've put together a list of elements you should always include in your job postings:
1. Headline
The headline is typically the first impression potential candidates get from the job posting. Therefore, it's important that the headline is both catchy and accurate, and that it leaves no doubt about what you're looking for.
For example, if you're looking for a marketing specialist, it's not enough to simply write: "Marketing specialist wanted". A more catchy alternative could be: "Wanted: Marketing specialist with black belt in automation".
You can angle the headline to target a specific audience and appeal to the type of candidate you are looking for.
2. introduction
The job posting should have a short, crisp introduction that describes why you're looking for a new employee and what type of position the employee will fill. Also, briefly highlight what makes the position particularly interesting for the type of candidate you're looking for.
3. Description of the company and department
The job posting should give applicants a picture of the company. Therefore, you should briefly describe who you are, what you do and what you are like as a workplace.
For example, you can describe:
- Your business type
- Your vision and values
- Number of employees in the company and the relevant department
- The professional and social work environment
- Colleagues in the team and department
- The communication flow between managers and colleagues
If you have an updated "about us" page, you can link to it here.
4. Job description
The job description is in many ways the most important element of the job posting. It's the job description that applicants are most interested in, so you need to get it right to ensure it grabs their attention.
A job description generally contains the tasks and responsibilities in bullet points. We recommend that you also elaborate on the challenges, development opportunities and potential of the job. Describe the job honestly and concretely so applicants can immediately see why the job is attractive.
Below you can see what a job description should cover:
- Concrete work tasks
- Areas of responsibility
- Opportunities for skills and development
- Employment, salary and working conditions
- Number of close colleagues, team and department size
- Working hours and days
- Benefits and particularly attractive aspects of the job
Also, keep in mind that the job description should be as accurate as possible for candidates applying for the job. This way, you can avoid your new employee getting the wrong impression of the position through the description and being met with unpleasant surprises when they start the job. In doing so, you can also help ensure that your new employee stays with the company longer.
5. Description of qualifications
When describing the ideal candidate for the position, be clear and precise in your choice of words. Avoid abstract terms and instead focus on specific qualifications - i.e. skills, experience and competencies - you want the ideal candidate to possess. The more precise the description, the more qualified applicants will be.
In the vast majority of job postings, qualifications are listed briefly, precisely and in bullet points. Below you can see some examples of what such a list might contain:
- Work experience
- Education and training
- Certificates
- Language skills
- Hard skills / soft skills
When describing the ideal candidate for the position, keep in mind that a job posting is a wish list - not a requirement specification. Certain skills and competencies are obviously required to do the job, but some will always be more important than others.
Furthermore, each candidate has their own individual skills that you can't take into account when writing the description, but which will prove to be of great benefit when the candidate becomes your new employee.
Therefore, it's a good idea to divide qualifications into "must-haves" and "need-to-haves". Sometimes it can be beneficial to hire an employee who doesn't meet all the requirements right away, but who can develop into a valuable asset during their employment.
6. Application process
Before concluding, briefly explain where and how interested candidates apply for the position. Include relevant links and describe the application process so that interested candidates know what to expect once they've submitted their application.
7. Closure
Once you've described the company, department, job, ideal candidate, and where and how to apply for the position, it's time to wrap up.
Give a final encouragement to apply for the job - preferably angled towards the type of candidate you want to appeal to. Don't forget to mention that you look forward to hearing from applicants.
8. Contact information
Last but not least, provide a contact person for applicants to reach out to if they have further questions about the position.
Here you need to enter:
- Contact person's position, name, phone number and email address
- Company address
Finally, you can also include any relevant links to further information about the company, personnel policies and the like.
Read more about LEAD's Recruitment and Retention course
Do you want to be better equipped to recruit, engage and retain great people?
LEAD's course in recruitment and retention of employees in the public sector will fill your toolbox with concrete tools to work strategically and purposefully to create an attractive workplace, attract qualified candidates and engage and retain talented employees.
