How to Write an Attraction-Based Job Description

Employers are now competing for talent in a candidate-centered market due to a growing talent shortage. As Baby Boomers continue to enter retirement, the smaller Millennial generation will be unable to replace them with a deficit of over 5 million qualified workers each year. There are currently a record 7.6 million open jobs in the United states. This trend is starting to affect the job market. One of the simplest changes you can make to remain competitive in the market is to utilize attraction-based job descriptions on job boards. According to a Glassdoor survey, 76% of jobseekers want to know why a company is an attractive place to work. In our experience, many companies do not write attraction-based job descriptions. Below are some tips to get you started.

Structure with Bullet Points

According to an article published by Business Insider, jobseekers only spend an average of 49.7 seconds before moving on from a job post and 76.7 seconds if they feel the job could be right for them. Job boards are filled with posts and jobseekers filter through them at a rapid rate. This means that you have a limited amount of time to communicate the information that is necessary to attract a candidate. The best way to do this is to use bullet points. After a short introduction which includes information about your company, it’s best to keep the job description brief and include only the most necessary details.

Highlight the Benefits & Incentives

One way to make your job look attractive to jobseekers is to highlight the rewards. Glassdoor reports that 70% of jobseekers want to see details about compensation, and 62% want to know about the benefits package on a job post. These incentives drive jobseekers’ decisions about making a job change. Our own survey indicates that employees value compensation and benefits over any other job satisfaction contributor. By being open with compensation and benefits, you increase your chances of catching the interest of a candidate. List the benefits of working for your company close to the top of a job post in order to catch and keep a jobseeker’s attention.

Include the Company Story & Culture

It’s important to tell the story of your company and talk about the culture in order to attract candidates. Jobseekers are looking for what makes your company a good place to work. They want to be able to envision themselves working at your company in order to decide whether or not the job would be a fit. Including a short narrative about your business as well as your company’s vision or mission can help capture the interest of candidates and generate excitement at the prospect of working for you. This could be an opportunity to stand out from the competition in order to find the candidates you’re looking for.

Emphasize Growth Potential

Jobseekers want to know what’s in it for them. With such an abundance of jobs with increasingly competitive benefits, candidates want to know their time and effort working with your company will leave them with something. Putting an emphasis on employee development and growth potential can help attract candidates who value learning new skills and furthering their career. Employees are more likely to stay with your company if these needs are being met, and candidates are more likely to be interested in the job if they know you value and invest in your employees. Highlighting this room for advancement can give your company an edge against the competition.

Avoid Inflexible Requirements

One of the most common mistakes we see on job posts are inflexible numbers when it comes to requiring years of experience. A range, such as 1-5 years of experience in a given industry, excludes great candidates who may have less experience or equal experience in a related industry. It also indicates that you are not willing to pay the wages of someone who has more experience and a higher salary. Always list experience requirements using a plus sign (ex. 2+ years). This is a more flexible way to include the requirement and can help you find more qualified candidates in a tight labor market.

It’s rare that we see employers using attraction-based job descriptions to find candidates. As the talent shortage continues to grow the candidate market will only become increasingly competitive. Companies will need to adjust their strategies in order to attract candidates in a tight market. By putting more of a focus on making your business and jobs look desirable to jobseekers, you can attract more talent from a limited pool.

Bradley Staffing Group is a full-service staffing firm based in Wayne, PA. We are committed to matching A-level talent with best-in-class businesses. Our knowledgeable and well-trained staff brings a combined 70+ years of staffing experience to our clients and candidates alike. http://useful-sock.flywheelsites.com/contact-us/