How to Write an Effective Job Posting

May 20, 2010

One of the most challenging aspects of obtaining a new hire is writing an effective job posting. Whether you are using Craigslist, Monster or HotJobs, you want to make sure that the right people apply for the job. Most importantly, you want the candidate to be clear on what the job is before you begin the hiring process. A job posting should include the job title, duties, requirements, compensation and instructions for applying.

Title
The job title will probably be the first thing that the candidate sees when applying for a job. It should accurately describe the position level within the company. Words that would be useful in a job title are “Manager” , “Assistant”, ‘Representative” or “Executive”.

Duties
The job duties should accurately reflect the title, so don’t say that a position is management to attract more candidates if it’s not actually a management position. To accurately reflect the duties of the position, you may want to consult with someone already in the position to find out exactly what they do on a daily basis as well as what kind of tools or software they use . If this is a brand new position, consult with department managers and find out what they actually want from this new hire.

Requirements
This section should include the education and experience level required and preferred for the position. You want to be flexible in this section as you don’t want to alienate potentially great candidates from applying. For instance, you might want to say “2-5 years of experience” rather than just 4 years. Any kind of specialized training or software experience should also be included in this section. Be sure to indicate the level of experience if you need a candidate with specific software knowledge. For example, if a position requires some use of Photoshop, but not very high level, you can say “Must be familiar with Photoshop”.

Compensation
To incentivize candidates to apply, you should include as much information as you can about the compensation. Salary information and benefits are just 2 examples what could be included here. You may want to brag about the relaxed work environment or flexible schedule here. Be honest though. Don’t make promises you can’t keep!

Instruction for Applying
If you only want applicants to apply electronically, give them the email address, along with what they need to submit (resume, cover letter, etc.). It is also helpful to tell them what kind of file to send, such as a Word or PDF file. To avoid being flooded with phone calls, faxes and mail, state in the ad that only resumes submitted in the requested fashion will be considered.