Recruiters and Account Managers everywhere know where to find the right resources for “how to write a job posting.” There are blog posts (hah), websites, YouTube video tutorials, samples, you name it. But how do you write a job posting that speaks to the person you’re really looking for?
With this tricky task in mind, I approached some of the team here at OST and asked what they thought were some good things to consider when putting the posting together.
1. Start with the description (duh)
The truth behind this statement, however, is that whoever is writing the posting should be using this as a guideline first and foremost. Yes, absolutely list the skills and requirements for the right candidates, but don’t go into personality fits, etc. By using the job description as a guideline, ultimately your posting will be much more clear to the people reading it.
2. What makes your company different?
Too often a job description is literally cut and pasted from some corporate handbook, with no real insight into WHO companies are looking for. It reads worse than a dry resume, it’s literally a list of requirements. Companies need to remember to include things about their corporate culture, what the company does, what they value, what their mission statement is, and their core competencies.
A good question to ask is “what are the positives of working for company XYZ?” If you can answer that quickly, include it! It’s a great selling point that your candidates will immediately see when they read through the posting.
3. Teach the hiring managers some marketing
Yeah, yeah. I know it’s not the most exciting idea. However, keep in mind that hiring managers usually don’t have a ton of time on their hands to make things pretty. BUT, if you can provide them with some key phrases to include in job descriptions, or get their approval to use a couple of them, it can go a long way towards designing the job description for an ideal candidate.
These phrases and catchy things are going to grab the reader’s eye. They’ll truly help the posting to stand out from the others, and, if you can get it right, will draw the attention of candidates who truly fit the bill for the role that needs filling!
At OST, we encourage our clients to think of these ideas when they’re putting the job description together, and if they don’t have the time, our recruiters and AMs take the time for them! We want to make sure that clarity is a priority as well as an engaging post that will speak to the candidates who are truly the best fit for the job!
What are some of your best practices you’ve found when writing a successful job posting?