Job Description Writing Tips For HR Professionals

17 of November, 2022

The process of recruiting new members into your company is one you do not want to get wrong. Any mistakes here could lead to a bad hire, the cost of which is often quite high.

This is why every aspect of the recruitment process needs to be done right. That includes something as “insignificant” as creating your job description.

What is a Job Description?

A job description is any content accompanying a job posting that clearly details the essential requirements of an open position. It tells applicants what the job position is, what duties they would be expected to perform, what responsibilities they are expected to fulfill, and the skills required to fill the post.

A great job description helps ensure that the job application attracts suitable candidates. This improves the quality of candidates interviewers have to deal with, thereby making the process much easier and more efficient.

Components of Great Job Descriptions

Great job descriptions contain a number of key elements that set them apart from other descriptions. Missing any of these elements in your description is a sign that it still needs some more work. Below are these key components:

Job Title

Of course, your job description should have your job title written clearly. This is the first filter that helps you keep out those candidates that are unfit or unqualified for the job. 

Your job title should be brief and reflect the content and scope of the job. It should give potential candidates a hint about what the job is and what to expect of them. For example, Librarian, Copywriter, Sales Manager, Full-Stack Web Developer, etc.

About the Role Section

While the title provides a sort of “bird’s eye view” picture of the job, the role section provides a “binocular-like view”. This is where you give an overview of the job, letting candidates know about the role and the responsibilities that come with it. It is essentially a summary of the entire description.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

This is where you fletch out the details about the role and provide a list of significant duties to carry out by the candidate. This part of the description points out the essential nature of the position a candidate is applying for and the responsibilities that come with it. 

The job duties and responsibilities section helps further filter the crop of potential candidates, weeding out unfit ones and leaving only their capable counterparts.

Basic Requirements

This section contains the requirements for the position, telling potential candidates the minimum required level of know-how required to hold the job. This would often include educational requirements, work experience, technical knowledge, skills, and key competencies. 

When creating your job description, make sure to list out every single requirement for the position to ensure that applicants have a clear understanding of what they are.

This way, candidates who do not meet any of these requirements don’t even bother applying in the first place. And even if they do, these requirements make it easy to screen out such candidates before the actual interview.

Preferred Qualification

After basic requirements, preferred qualifications are a great addition to a job description. Unlike basic requirements, preferred qualifications are not must-haves. Instead, there are requirements that would increase the chances of a candidate getting the job.

In short, candidates who do not meet these requirements still get considered for the job, but those who do are more likely to get it. 

Things to include in this section include advanced degrees or professional certification, additional years of experience, additional skill set, proficiency in using advanced software or gadgets, etc.

Conclusion

The job description you create greatly affects the quality of candidates you have applying for the position. It also determines how smoothly your recruiting process will go.

A great job description should contain all the components mentioned above. Need some more help with the recruitment process? Sesame HR can help you with recruitment, onboarding, and other talent management solutions.