Whether you are hiring an accountant, a warehouse supervisor or a paralegal, the job description is usually the first thing a candidate sees from you. Most are written as a list of everything the role might ever involve. The right candidate doesn't recognise themselves in that list, and moves on.
Start with the job, not the company
Open with two or three sentences on what this person will do in a normal week. The company story can come later.
Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves
A long list of requirements discourages capable people who meet most of them. Keep the must-have list short and honest, and label the rest as a plus.
Show the practical details
Pay range, schedule, location or hybrid arrangement, and travel. Candidates look for these first. Leaving them out costs you applicants.
Use plain words
Replace internal jargon and acronyms with the words a candidate would use to describe their own experience. It also helps your posting show up when people search.
Say what happens next
Tell candidates how many conversations to expect and roughly how long the process takes. A clear process signals a well-run team.
A clearer description won't fix every hiring challenge, but it means the people who apply are much closer to the people you need.