Are Boring Job Descriptions Keeping You From Finding Top Talent?

A compelling, clear, well-written job description is any recruiter’s best friend for attracting top talent.

Unfortunately, job boards are strewn with job descriptions that are boring, confusing, mangled and even misguided, which drives talent away by causing people to ask themselves:

"Do I really want to apply for a job that sounds completely dull?"

"Can I really be sure what this job is about when it sounds like they whipped it together in a blender?"

"I know this is a job posting—but what the frig does it actually involve?"

Why are so many job descriptions like that?

Many factors certainly come into play, from unclear HR objectives at the time of a post to plain bad writing. Yet assumption is one of the biggest causes.

Companies often assume that the sheer act of posting something (no matter how it’s worded) will automatically guarantee applicants. After all, people are always looking for jobs, right?

That may be true (which is why job postings tend to always get some results). Yet there’s a big difference between a job and an opportunity.

The latter represents a more advantageous situation—a desirable choice by which people can better steer their lives toward the goals they want to reach.

In short, an opportunity represents clear and compelling benefits, written and delivered from an applicant's perspective to intrigue and attract people.

To attract the kind of talent they want, some companies are now recognizing the need for writers trained in value-based writing.

As an example of what I mean, here's a job description I recently wrote for a Toronto-based recruiting agency:

Copywriter/Content Writer

(Job Description Specialist)

XXXXX – Toronto, ON

$20-$25 per hour (Contract)

Do boring, confusing job descriptions drive you crazy? Have you ever read a long, rambling job description and thought, “I could have clearly summed that up in ten sentences”? If so, you may be the perfect fit for XXXXX.

Located in the heart of Toronto’s financial district, XXXXX connects awesome talent to incredible companies and amazing opportunities. To help people discover those opportunities, we now have an opening for a Copywriter/Content Writer to create compelling job descriptions for our [clients].

Ask yourself...

• Are you a writer who understands the difference between job descriptions that companies write and language that resonates with real people?

• Can you translate traditional job descriptions into non-boring, clear copy that actually attracts the talent that companies want?

• Are you comfortable with SEO strategies and techniques?

• Can you create engaging branded content based on industry trends?

• Are you skilled and comfortable producing content to tight deadlines?

• Does your writing experience include regulatory compliance?

If you just said yes six times, you may already be halfway to filling this exciting role.

Okay, here’s your pre-flight checklist (required skills and experience) before applying:

• 3-4 years of experience writing external-facing content (meaning stuff for the public to read)

• 3 years of experience in technical writing

• copywriting, editing and research experience for online resources, ideally for social-media channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Glassdoor, etc.)

• experience writing job postings/recruitment-based projects

• strong understanding of content that attracts and builds talent resources

• proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat

• ability to quickly adapt to new technology

If you just checked off each item in the above list and you’re ready for a rewarding career with XXXXX, we look forward to hearing from you.

Team XXXXX

Now compare what you’ve just read to the original:

JOB DESCRIPTION:

- Your ability to translate traditional job descriptions, talent acquisition recruitment marketing and employee brand objectives into an executable content creation plan and is second nature to you.

- You influence your clients to think out of the box and thrive on presenting unconventional content that resonates with its target audience.

- You easily pick up on industry trends and translate them into actionable, compelling story ideas and brand enhancing content. This coupled with your wealth of copywriting experience and comfort with SEO strategy and techniques make this the perfect opportunity for you.

- Your ability to produce content in tight timelines is your strength and you thrive in managing multiple deadlines.

- Your previous experience satisfying compliance and regulatory requirements enable you to develop material to suit the Canadian and US landscapes with ease.

MUST HAVE:

* 3-4+ yrs exp. as a Copywriter/Content Writer from a large organization

* 3-4+ yrs developing external facing content media, research, copywriting/editing online resources (ideally for social media channels such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Glassdoor, & others)

* Exp. writing job postings/recruitment based projects (Strong understanding of Talent Acquisition& deep exp. building talent acquisition content)

* Proficiency in MS Office & Adobe Acrobat; ability to quickly learn new technology

Job Type: Contract

Salary: $20.00 to $25.00 /hour

Experience:

* Technical Writing: 3 years

Location:

* Toronto, ON

If the first job description sounds more appealing, you have some sense of the common problem with most job descriptions.

The second job description speaks to potential applicants from a company perspective (in addition to offering confusion). It basically says:

“Here’s what we want and we’re going to tell you in spades who you must be in order to even consider applying for this job.”

That’s not an invitation. That’s a demand for conformity and submission, and while such requirements do tend to inhabit the landscape of pay-for-hire employment, people are not looking for negatives.

They’re looking for opportunities and benefits.

Said another way, the ideal role of the job description is NOT to drive people away.

Similar to the goal of a subject line in direct marketing, the ideal job description offers people a compelling reason to apply.

When you accomplish that, you begin attracting the kind of talent will be excited to step through your door.

#recruiting #jobdescriptions #copywriting