One of the biggest challenges for employers is finding quality candidates to fill their open positions. If you can relate, there’s something you can do to entice top talent to apply for your openings: write better job descriptions.

Your job description should clearly explain what you expect from applicants but should also actively sell professionals on the benefits of working for your organization. It also might be the first time a job seeker learns about your company, so you want to make a good first impression.

Follow these tips to create an effective job description that attracts quality candidates.

Job Title

The job title will be the first thing potential applicants see. Avoid using any made-up or unclear job title like Marketing Guru of Sales Rockstar. These aren’t real job titles and don’t tell job seekers anything about the job. In addition, these aren’t jobs people are searching for online, so your job has a smaller chance of showing up in search results. To ensure your job is found online and is attracting the right applicants, keep your job titles basic.

Keep Descriptions Uncomplicated

Your job description should be clear, concise, and to the point. No need to complicate things with industry jargon, ten-dollar words, or unnecessary details. If you need a sales representative who can develop new business, simply say that rather than including a bunch of buzzwords.

To keep your description easy to read, you should start with a brief job summary. After that, include a bulleted list of the role’s responsibilities and requirements. At the end, make sure to include an “About Us” section to let applicants know a bit more about your company.

Be Realistic

You should go into your talent search knowing that you likely won’t find someone who checks all your boxes. Be upfront in your job description about what experience or skills are absolute must-haves. Then, you can list preferred skills that you’d like applicants to have but if they don’t, they aren’t deal breakers.

Sell Your Company

In this candidate-driven hiring market, you need to sell candidates on the benefits of working at your organization. Your “About Us” section of your job description is a perfect place to include these benefits. You should think beyond basic benefits like health insurance or 401Ks. Does your company offer a flexible schedule? Are you involved in philanthropy? Do you offer continuing education opportunities? Include these benefits in your job description.

Get Help Finding Quality Candidates

In this competitive hiring climate, a well-written job description may not be enough to attract top talent. You might want to consider getting help from Burchard & Associates. We handle all the heavy lifting, from recruiting and evaluating candidates to initial interviews (we can even help with your job description!). Once we’ve identified several qualified candidates, we’ll present them to you for review. Contact us today to learn more.