10 vital things your job posting should always include

Job postings come in a variety of sizes and styles, but there are vital things that every job posting should have.

The quality of your job posting and the information you include determines the quality of the candidates who apply. These simple rules help ensure you are attracting candidates who will be the right fit for your role.

1. Use an accurate job title

Don’t say you are looking for a “Deep Space Entrepreneur” when you’re looking for an Astronaut.

Titles that sound fancy but don’t accurately reflect the position you are looking for will not get you the applicant you are looking for.

Similarly, don’t use industry jargon or abbreviations that no one else will understand. No matter what the position is referred to internally, your job posting should use a job title accurately reflective of the role responsibilities.

2. Draw them in with your introduction

Your introduction is a chance to outline your business and the role being posted. Give 3-5 details that outline what applicants will find exciting about the job.

This is the hook to draw them in and get them to read the rest of the job posting. Make it more personal by using words like ‘we’ and ‘you’ to show that real people wrote the job posting.

3. List the roles, duties and requirements

This section allows you to paint a clear, concise picture of what this role will involve. By highlighting responsibilities and duties that are a part of the job, you are allowing applicants to know what they will be responsible for day-to-day.

You need to be honest about describing the position, as you want applicants to buy into the actual role you are offering.

4. Required and desirable skills should be clearly separated

There are always specific skills or qualifications that a candidate absolutely needs to have to fill a position.

However, there are also those skills that you would like an applicant to have, but they are not mandatory. Separate these from each other.

That is a requirement if you need someone to speak French because they will be dealing with clients in France.

If you would like them to have a PhD in applied mathematics because they may be helping the team build a rocket, that is nice to have. They are not the same thing and shouldn’t be grouped together.

5. Specific location

If your office is in the middle of farmland that is 40km outside of the closest large city, say so.

You only want to be talking to applicants who are aware of your location and are happy with that commute.

Doing otherwise is a waste of everyone’s time. You don’t want to fall in love with a candidate only for them to realise on the drive to the interview that the commute wouldn’t work for them on a regular basis.

Additionally, don’t assume what commute a candidate would be willing to do. Keep in mind that plenty of people are more than happy to take a bus 2 hours either way to get to work. Inform applicants of your location in your job posting and let them decide for themselves if it works for them.

6. Include a salary range

You know what you can afford to pay for a position. Applicant knows what they need to earn.

By placing the salary range in a job posting or disclosing it at the earliest stage, you are making sure that every applicant who applies will be comfortable with the salary range you can offer.

A lot of companies waste valuable time interviewing candidates for roles they can not afford to hire. 

7. Jazz up your job posting with great company benefits

Not every company can afford the maximum industry standard salary for every employee.

This is where company benefits can be a great equaliser. If you offer an extra week vacation over the industry standard, say so in your job posting.

Detail out any great medical benefits, bonus plans, or education incentives. Let applicants know how much you value employees by detailing any great benefits you offer.

8. Detail out the application process

Detail out exactly how applicants need to apply. It sounds simple, but if your job posting is missing this step, you may miss out on the perfect candidate.

In an age of online job applications, no two application portals or job posting websites are the same. Don’t assume applicants know what they need to do just because you know the process.

9. Have someone else read your job posting

You can re-read your job posting 18 times, but there is a high probability you will miss a grammatical error or spelling mistake.

Get a colleague to proofread your job posting and provide honest feedback on anything you may have missed or should amend.

A job posting is another type of company marketing, and what you are posting should reflect your company brand and culture. Make sure you fix any errors and present your open roles in the best possible light.

10. Get help with your job posting

You don’t have to do this all alone. If you are looking to fill open roles with highly skilled, pre-qualified candidates that are a good fit and will be long-term assets in your company, connect with one of us today!

Let’s work together to make your company the success it should be.