We’ve all seen those job postings online—a blasé job description that makes a job sound like eating nails for breakfast, or profoundly boring. How can your company keep from having run-of-the-mill job postings? By making them more attraction-based, according to Rhonda Werner, Director of Culture & Marketing, Ag1Source.
“A job posting is not the same thing as a job description,” she says. “A job posting should include the things the employee ‘gets’ to do, not only what they must do or qualifications they must have.” It should create interest and utilize descriptive words that are going to attract the type talent they are seeking in that role.
When a candidate writes their resume in a way that only describes their job duties, it doesn’t give the person who’s reading the resume any indication to what they have actually accomplished in their role. A job posting should also give the reader an indication of what they can accomplish with that organization, why someone would want to work there.
“Yes, potential candidates need to know the job duties, but companies miss the opportunity to sell themselves and their company culture,” Werner says. “That might include what a career path at that company looks like, or what that candidate can accomplish by working at their company in this role.”
If your company is putting together a job posting, take advantage of that valuable white space to share the details of why someone should want to work for your organization. A compelling job posting could include what skills a candidate can gain from the job opportunity, what career advancement looks like at your organization, pay and benefits, or what type of candidate will succeed best in your company’s culture.
“Human resources staff forget that writing a job posting is about helping candidates better understand the company they’re coming to work for, what they can expect, and why they should want to work for that organization,” Werner says. “Compelling job postings are especially helpful for small companies that candidates might not have heard of before. It’s a time to tell your company’s story and share your core values.”
Werner says that being very specific about the type of candidate a company is looking for helps candidates be more discerning about whether to even apply in the first place.
“If your job description scares candidates away, that’s OK,” she says. “It might help a candidate see if a position is not a good choice for them.”
