Great candidates are of a premium in the current candidate-centric market. It’s important for a hiring manager or the HR to be abreast with the current and future requirements of the skillsets and have the best possible resource to fill the void. It’s likely that an organization will miss the “time to hire” deadline if they don’t have a tap on the recruitment market. Hiring a right fit for the job is easier said than done as it is quite a laborious and time- consuming process, which starts with writing a concise but effective job description to attract relevant candidates. An awry hiring can prove to be quite detrimental to the business in terms of monetary value, therefore it’s pertinent to understand and write a job description which is unambiguous and details the exact requirement.

There are few ways and tips which can assist in composing a relevant job description targeting relevant candidates and in turn weeding out the unwanted ones.

An understanding of the job requirement is a must in creating a relevant job description. An ambiguous job requirement like “Requirement for a technical individual” would attract candidates from myriad IT fields. A descriptive requirement should include title, an engaging job description, specific skill sets, duties and responsibilities, future scope of advancement, location and salary range so that the prospective candidate has a prior understanding of what to expect and precludes any uncertainty.

Most of the job searches are done based on keywords, therefore it’s necessary to understand and use searchable keywords in the job description. The idea is to make sure that the listing shows up on the first page of the relevant search engines.

Always refer to the old job description of similar requirement which has fetched the desired results and base your description around that template. Another option would be to refer various job portals to ascertain the layout of the job profile, which is similar to your requirement.

It goes without saying that a first impression is mostly the last impression. This has the same connotation with reference to a prospective candidate. A job description should be proofread before it is submitted to job portals and recruiters. An erroneous job description strewn with grammatical errors, unstructured and unimaginative layout will surely put off a well-read candidate.

The job description should have action verbs and should be devoid of any gender-specific language. It should also not contain any company relevant jargon or acronyms and should be unambiguous. A gist of company’s upcoming projects and its core values in the description will go a long way in forging a professional connection with the candidate.

A job description is a mirror to company’s working model and values; therefore, a careful consideration should be given when writing them. They will form the basis as to how the candidates perceive your brand and what is the likelihood of your company attracting some great candidates.