Acquiring the proper personnel is the first step in hiring excellent people. A well-written, interesting, and comprehensive job description is essential in this situation.
By spending some time upfront, you can write a job description that attracts the best and brightest individuals and ensures that you’re not snubbing great people before they apply.
“The finest job descriptions integrate marketing, the reality of the work, the requisite skills and competencies and the firm’s culture”.
According to Justin Cerilli, a managing director of banking technologies and services at Russell Reynolds and Associates, an executive search and management succession agency, “All of those factors put together are crucial to how you portray an open job to the market.”
You will learn how I increased my visitor-to-application ratio in less than a year by using a specific strategy for job descriptions.
We’ll teach you how to captivate applicants and compel them to take action by using the methods and best practices we employed.
What Exactly is a Job Description?
One definition of a job description is “a document that clearly explains fundamental work criteria, job tasks, job duties, and abilities necessary to fulfil a certain function.” At the same time, another defines “a job description” as “a document that describes a job.”
A comprehensive job description will include information on how success is assessed in the position, and performance reviews will use this information. There are a few names for job descriptions, including job specs, job profiles, JDs, and position descriptions (job PD).
What Does a Content Writer Do?
As a content writer, you are a creative professional who knows how the main search engines function and what people are looking for when they visit certain websites.
Their duty is to ensure that their clients’ material is interesting enough to pique potential customers’ attention and answer any queries they may have in the process.
Excellent overall writing abilities in a variety of styles/tones are many qualities that content writers must possess:
- Exceptional grammar and punctuation.
- In-depth knowledge of customers and their online motivations.
- Excellent capabilities in the areas of research, planning, and acquisition of new knowledge.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Google Docs is a must for this job position.
- An understanding of effective keyword placement and other aspects of search engine optimization.
- Some familiarity with web advertising and lead generating.
- working knowledge of the web’s article formatting
The Essential Tips That Will Help You Create Attractive Job Description for Content Writers
- Tip 1: Analyze The Targeted Employee
Many studies have shown that consumers buy based on their emotions and then use rationality to justify their decisions. That way, applying for a job is similar to purchasing.
The choice to click “Apply Now” is a highly heated one. Use such feelings by getting to know the ideal prospect in depth before drafting your job advertisement (i.e., the person you want to be interviewing). What do they want to accomplish in their careers? Why are they so content?
- Tip 2: Optimize Your Job Title with Keywords
Millions of individuals search millions of terms daily in their quest for a new job. As a result, optimizing job postings for search engines like Google (SEO) is critical.
Please don’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to a well-known part to make yourself stand out from the crowd. “Audience Crafter” or “Attention Ninja” are not appropriate titles for your open content marketing job.
- Tip 3: Get That Job Title Right (IMPORTANT!)
Candidates may be turned off by your use of terms like “rockstar”, “ninja,” or even “guru,” according to an Indeed study if you’re having difficulty filling openings for these key positions.
A more laid-back work environment might be reflected in quirky job names. You may avoid including these words in your job advertising if your company lacks a cultural understanding of what these words mean.
If you’re looking for a job, don’t include phrases like “ninja” or “rockstar” in the job title or description since these terms might mislead job searchers and deter them from applying, according to an Indeed blog article.
Cerilli, a Russell Reynolds recruiter, advises job seekers to keep their job titles creative but not so obscure that they lose out on applicants seeking the same position under an entirely different name.
According to Colin Day, CEO and creator of SaaS-based recruitment software solution platform iCIMS, as much as possible, incorporate industry-standard terminology into your titles.
- Tip 4: Begin with a Small, Engaging Overview of the Job
Describe the position’s primary purpose, how it contributes to corporate goals, and why it is vital not just to the firm but to society at large in this one- to four-sentence summary.
According to a whitepaper from the National Center for Women & Information Technology, “How can this job contribute to making people’s lives better, or address current business or societal problems?” (NCWIT).
“Come join a creative team of… devoted to…” phrase is very successful, according to NCWIT’s recommendation. Take a look at the Homeruns Example Of A Content Writer Job Description.
- Tip 5: Cover What the Job Has to Offer
Every advertisement must begin with a brief explanation of the function being advertised. It should be short and to the point, but don’t forget the long-term advantages.
The advertisement below, part of a humorous series to assist General Electric in transforming its brand, articulates the advantages of their positions.
People’s basic human instinct is to desire to be a part of something greater. By letting applicants see the effect of their effort, you may appeal to this ambition.
- Tip 6: Focus On the Candidate’s Growth Development
Keep your resume short and to the point, recommends NCWIT, and don’t include a big list of duties or credentials. According to NCWIT, lists like this may be tough to digest, and the minutia frequently has little meaning until one executes the work.
Use five to seven bullet points to list your most important responsibilities. As an alternative, you may arrange two to three bullets under bigger categories, such as “Technical Skills,” “Management Skills,” “Communication,” and so on.
According to Cerilli, it is important to clarify how the work contributes to corporate goals, the opportunity for progression, and how applicant successes may contribute to that.
“You want applicants to be enthusiastic about your firm and the changes in the sector. “Begin by talking about how the firm fits into the bigger sector, how technology facilitates that, and how the company, the position, and the employees’ skills and expertise can help them grow and develop,” he adds.
According to Day of iCIMS, “Make sure the job description is also intriguing and engaging.” In this case, you may say, ‘We’re expecting growth over 20% this year, or ‘Be part of a team that will add X number of new clients.’ Ensure your job description represents your desire to hire goal- and action-oriented applicants.”
- Tip 7: Don’t Forget to Mention the Job Benefits
As soon as you get the candidate’s interest, bring them in further with a section on your benefits: your company’s compensation and retirement plans. 83% of employers surveyed by Indeed in 2021 said that their organizations had been more open regarding salaries and incentives in job descriptions.
When describing your benefits, include examples to make it easier for potential employees to visualize them.
- Tip 8: Make Sure the Job Requirements Are Realistic and Clear
Please don’t end your ad with this part since it will be the most sterile. A sandwich between two parts that showcase potential and promise is a good place to place this section.
Don’t make your list of criteria longer than necessary. Do not frighten away outstanding applicants with petty pre-requirements.” With a shortlist, you also don’t want to draw in and excite unqualified individuals.
- Tip 9: Bust All Those Biases!
Is your job description possibly indicating prejudice and dissuading potential employees? How? With jargon, gendered terminology, culture particular terms, and insider language.
“Aggressive” may seem like a neutral adjective, but it has a male connotation and might narrow down your pool of potential hires.
As a result, phrases like “up your alley” might be confusing to non-English speakers. 30% of companies polled by Indeed value inclusive job descriptions.
Textio, a program that analyzes job descriptions and provides ideas to help you create a neutral listing, may assist you in this endeavour.
- Tip 10: The Devil’s in the Details
According to Reed, prospects are just as critical as hiring managers when it comes to scrutinizing the fine print of a CV. Be careful to review your job description for accuracy by running a spell check, grammar check, and proofreading.
After that, repeat the process. According to Reed, using too much jargon or clichés is a no-no as well. You should pay close attention to its aesthetics.” Use bullets and lists so that applicants may swiftly browse through the content,” advises the author.
And That’s How You Hire a New Content Writer!
Because writing is the most vital talent, you should seek well-written bespoke proposals that address your project’s problems. If there are any errors or badly written words, it’s a good indication of the job quality you may expect.
For any texts or emails exchanged throughout the selecting process, reliable experts will be fast to react and have outstanding communication abilities.