Keeping Focus While Writing Job Descriptions

Any HR manager or executive with a job opening realizes that there is a huge amount of competition for highly skilled talent.  Filling open positions with people who meet the requirements needed for the job can prove to be a challenge. The first step is composing a job description that can win top talent.

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Human Resources Online website gives several tips to HR professionals and hiring managers on how to write the perfect job description. According to Diane Domeyer, executive director to The Creative Group to Robert Half, “A well-written job description can mean the difference between a trickle and a flurry of qualified applicants.’ Domeyer also warns that the opposite is true when the description is poorly worded or is filled with company-specific jargon and terminology. That can lead to too many unqualified applicants for the job as compared to those who are qualified.

• Give the Specifics – This means giving the job title, department and a summary of the job duties and responsibilities. If a specific level of education, certificate or specific skill set is required for the position, be sure to list these as well.

• Focus on the Priorities – Some job descriptions can scare away otherwise highly qualified candidates because the expectations are unrealistic. A Master’s Degree might be ideal, but what about the candidate that has tons of real-world experience that your company needs, yet hasn’t graduated with the level of education the job description entails? Focus on qualifications that are crucial to the position and try to limit these to five or six that matter the most.

• Stop Looking for Perfection – As explained in the article, the proverbial ‘unicorn’ simply doesn’t exist. Keep your expectations realistic and be prepared to let a candidate with great potential to develop their talent on the job. It’s far better to focus on someone who would be a good fit for your company or organization’s culture rather than going down a list of checkboxes that would make a potential new hire “perfect”.