Include key components in job postings

When writing a job description, it’s helpful to include as much detail as possible. Detailed job descriptions make it easier for job seekers to determine if your opening is a match for their needs. For example, applicants need to know the location of an opening to ensure they can reasonably commute.

Consider including these details:

• Job duties and responsibilities: Job duties are the specific tasks you expect an employee to perform, such as preparing financial statements or supervising customer service professionals. Including this information in a job description helps set clear expectations for applicants.
• Required qualifications: Required qualifications are the knowledge, skills, abilities and traits that are necessary for a specific role. For example, you might want to hire an Accounts Payable Representative who knows how to reconcile credit card accounts.
• Preferred qualifications: Preferred qualifications are desirable, but they’re not absolutely necessary for a specific role. For instance, you might want to list QuickBooks experience as a preferred qualification for an Accounting Clerk position. If the person you hire doesn’t have experience with QuickBooks, they can still perform their job duties.
• Company culture: Describing your company culture can help candidates determine if your mission, vision and values align with their needs.
• Hours/schedule: Consider including the exact work schedule for the position, such as 8am-4:30 pm. If the hours vary, you might want to include the number of hours worked per week or the days of the week you expect a new hire to work.
• Salary: Including the salary in your job description helps candidates determine if your salary range matches their financial needs.
• Benefits and perks: Listing benefits and perks can make your company a more attractive place to work. Examples of relevant benefits include health insurance, paid time off (PTO), reimbursement for educational expenses and monthly parking passes.

It’s helpful to put the most important information near the top of the description. Capturing a job seeker’s attention right away can help you keep their interest.

Make your job postings easy to read

Headings, bulleted lists and other formatting elements make it easier for job seekers to scan your job postings. For example, you might have headings for job duties, required qualifications, preferred qualifications, salary, benefits and application instructions.

Instead of listing several items in one long sentence, consider creating a bulleted list to make your job description easier to read. This works well with lists of job duties or qualifications.

Craft a compelling company summary

Clearly communicating your company’s culture and core values makes it easier to attract quality applicants. To make your message clear, consider adding a company to every job description. A company summary typically explains what makes a business unique. For example, you might want to highlight your dog-friendly workplace or commitment to sustainability.

It’s also helpful for a company description to match your branding. Consider incorporating your tagline or using words that reflect your mission and values. This can help you build a strong brand identity that resonates with applicants.

Separate must-have skills from nice-to-have skills

Creating a rigid set of required qualifications can cause you to miss out on quality candidates. For example, if you require a journalism or business degree for a Copywriter position, candidates with relevant experience might avoid applying. Those job seekers could have thousands of published pieces between them, but you’d never know it because your degree requirement stopped them from applying.

Consider implementing a skills-first hiring strategy to make it easier to connect with quality candidates. Skills-first hiring prioritizes skills and qualifications over formal credentials. In the Copywriter example, for instance, you might want to prioritize the skills of writing, editing and proofreading instead of requiring a degree or certification.

Provide as much information as possible

Writing an effective job description is about attracting candidates to your company. However, you also want applicants to feel that their skills, experience and values are a match for your needs. Providing additional details can help applicants make an informed decision about seeking employment with your organization.

As you write, consider the candidate’s perspective. Answering these questions gives candidates a realistic preview of the role and the work environment:

• Does the job require occasional nights and weekends?
• Is overnight travel required?
• Is it a full-time, part-time or freelance position?
• Do you require background screening?
• Does the position involve heavy lifting?

Include relevant keywords to help applicants find your description

Including keywords in your job title and throughout the description helps job seekers find your company online. Understanding how job seekers are searching for roles can help you choose the most effective keywords for your posting. The right keyword in your title might encourage candidates to click through to the description.

It’s helpful to be clear and concise. For example, using the title Senior Copywriter instead of Chief Wordsmith can help you attract candidates who are using search terms like “copywriting jobs” and “Marketing Copywriter.”

Once you choose a main keyword, think of alternative ways to say it. If you’re hiring an Elementary Reading Teacher, you might also want to use the terms Primary Reading Teacher, English Language Arts Teacher or Elementary Literacy Instructor in your job description. Optimizing your description based on applicant behavior can improve your visibility in search results.

Make the application process clear

Giving clear instructions can help you increase the number of applicants who apply for your job openings. At the end of your job description, indicate exactly what an applicant should do. For example, you might want to have them answer screening questions on Indeed or submit an application on your company website.

Providing clear instructions can also help you streamline your hiring process. For example, if applicants submit everything you need, you can save time following up on missing materials. This approach may also help reduce the amount of time your recruitment team spends answering questions about the application process.

Sponsor a job post on Indeed

Indeed attracts millions of job seekers every day. You can drive more traffic to your post by sponsoring a job. When you sponsor a job on Indeed, your ad is even more visible to job seekers. This can help you reach more candidates who fit your needs.

Employers can also use the Employer Dashboard on Indeed to track the performance of job posts. For example, you can monitor the number of potential applicants and count how many hires your recruitment team has made.

Recently posted jobs tend to attract more applicants, so reposting after 14 days can help you maintain visibility. Consider using other sources, such as employee referrals or niche job boards, to supplement your recruiting efforts on Indeed.