5 Unexpected Things That Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common

5 Unexpected Things That Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common

If you work in the human resources industry, you most likely know how hectic daily schedules can get - lots of hiring, interviews, and deadlines to meet. Although time falls shortly, when it comes to the first recruitment stages, it’s quite important to take the job description task very seriously. A vast majority of employers believe that in order to fulfil a position, only a quick copy & paste of an old job description will do. As a consequence, they either receive low quality applications, or no applications at all. If you’re reading this, and you’re an employer going through the same circumstances, don’t worry. This article will cover the 5 Unexpected Things That Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common. The aim of this blog is to give a better understanding of what you might be doing wrong and will remind you that you were once a candidate as well. The aftermath is, although attracting the right applicants is no easy task, it’s definitely worthwhile putting effort into it. 

 

Firstly, as a recruiter, it is important to have a meeting with your team to comprehend what the company is looking for and what skills and experience will be required from this future employee. Trust me, if you don’t have a clear picture of it, you won’t be able to write an offer, let alone hire the right person. 

 

Why should you care for any of this? Writing an efficient job offer will:

 

  • Prevent you from wasting time reading emails and CVs that don’t match what your company wants.

  • Help you get to the perfect candidate faster.

  • Avoid employee rotation, once hired, as the applicant will be fully aware of what the position entails.

  • Increase your company’s brand awareness (If you post a well-written job description, your company will be positively viewed by jobseekers. If you post a poor job description, your company will have a detrimental image related to it).

 

This being said, find below some clear tips on how to spot the 5 Unexpected Things That Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common.

 

#1 Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common - “The More Information the Better” - But Is It All True?

 

Although the more details the less you’ll have to explain during the screening call, it can also overwhelm the reader. First things first, make sure to separate the information by sections and display the essential in the beginning. It’s recommended structuring the job offer’s description using bullet points and other highlights to make it more readable and therefore, more attractive for candidates.

 

Description

 

In the description portion, a recruiter is supposed to share an overview of the company, including its mission, values, goals, size, and perhaps current or past projects. This part is crucial as it will show why the applicant should choose you instead of another organization.

 

Job summary

 

In this section, it’s important to present what the position is all about and what the candidate can expect from it. This englobes if the position is part-time, full-time, or a contract. It also explains the employment type (internship, traineeship, or entry/mid/senior level).

 

Note: It’s always recommended to add the salary to your job description, as candidates are more willing to apply to positions once they’re aware of the remuneration that follows it. 

 

Responsibilities

 

This is where you could use more details, so that the applicant is entirely informed of what’s required on their end: daily duties, work schedule, who they will be reporting to, etc. 

 

*Remember: the clearer you’re here, the less employee turnover you’ll have to deal with.

 

Requirements

 

Stating your requirements depends on the position you’re presenting. In this section, companies tend to demand specific language skills, certificates, visas, location (where the candidate must work in terms of physical location), what kind of profile the person must have (motivated, organized, etc.).

 

Benefits/Offer

 

The “what’s in it for you” part of the job description is vital for attracting quality candidates, as it demonstrates your employer branding. In other words, this section shows to your future employees how much you actually care about them. 

 

Here you can add:

 

  • Relocation packages

  • Health insurance

  • Special trainings/courses

  • Team buildings

  • Meal vouchers

  • Visa support

  • Remote working option

  • Gym memberships 

  • Other perks

 

#2 Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common - Meaningless Job Titles

 

Meaningless job titles are a bummer to candidates. Why? They hardly ever reflect the jobs being offered, they mask up the position that’s actually being presented in the job description, and it confuses the reader. As a result, a meaningless job title has little to no chance of attracting good candidates.  

 

A job title should be:

 

  • Clear

  • Short

  • Simple

  • Attractive 

 

If you’re looking for different language speakers, make sure to separate the job ads per language. To rephrase it, one language per job ad. This being said, you don’t necessarily need to include a “with Spanish” or “with Dutch” at the end, many platforms, such as Europe Language Jobs, allow you to include the language requirement in a specific tab. 

 

For instance, let’s say you’re trying to hire for a sales position. In order to attract qualified German candidates, or Swedish, Dutch, French, etc., these are some very attractive job titles you could consider using: 

 

  • Account Manager

  • Business Developer Intern (Interns also need meaningful job titles as international interns bring great value to a company.)

  • Sales Executive  

  • Acquisition Manager

 

Note: Use keywords that match the candidate search intent! This will increase your job ad visibility and will spare you from reaching those applicants searching for very generic keywords. 

 

Avoid the following titles:

 

  • Head of Growth

  • S&M Administrator (Sales & Marketing Administrator)

 

Other things to avoid:

 

  • Do not capitalize the entire job title.

  • Do not include your job description in your job title, you’ll be able to state things throughout the offer. 

 

#3 Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common - Spelling Mistakes (Watch your grammar, please!)

 

Easy one to guess, right? CVs are not the only documents that need to be impeccable when it comes to grammar, your job description does too. The same way that you judge a resume by its spelling and punctuation, a candidate will criticize your company’s eye to detail and seriousness based on the same evaluation levels. 

 

A well written and spelling free offer description will reinforce your company’s ethic and posture. The positive side is that there are many tools to assist you with that, such as grammarly, being the most well-known of all of them.   

 

#4 Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common - Lack of Personality

 

Believe it or not, your job description reflects your company’s culture, mission, values, and goals. In this article, it was already mentioned that exhibiting your organization’s overview is an important part of the job description. Here is where you can use your company’s lingo, express why or how people can relate to your mission and why it is so awesome to work there. What is it that your company has that no other company does? Don’t underestimate the tiny details, as they might just be what some candidates are looking for. 

 

As the world is evolving, people want to be a part of something bigger, of worldwide projects, they want to be part of a diverse team, grow inside of their careers, and feel like they are in the perfect environment to do so. An employee wants to feel valued and heard; therefore, be sure to express all of these amazing company aspects you offer. 

 

#5 Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common - Ok, But...Who’s Your Audience?

 

It’s interesting to note that different age groups and people coming from diverse backgrounds search for distinct content when seeking a job. While some immediately search for the salary and career growth opportunities, others go straight to the day-to-day tasks and what the company is all about. This goes to say that knowing your target audience will guide you when avoiding a poor job description. 

 

If you’re having trouble figuring out what exactly to share in the offer, run a quick audit in your company overall or just in the department that’s seeking the new employee. Try to understand what your current staff loves about their job, things that need to get better, and things they appreciate.

 

Once you have your perfectly written job offer and are ready to publish it, make sure to be ready for the following steps. Have a follow-up email ready to be sent as soon as you receive an application. Yes, the typical email stating you’ve received their application. In this email, make sure to mention their CV will be reviewed by a real person, not a robot (if it’s true), as it will convey more trust. Additionally, provide information about the next steps and what they can expect next (status of the application, interview, etc.)

 

If your company, like many others, has suffered in any way during the pandemic, read about how the best companies adapted to covid-19. You might find some useful tips coming from entities located in different countries in Europe. 

 

 

Hopefully, going over the 5 Unexpected Things That Bad Job Descriptions Have in Common was able to give you a better idea of ways to improve the way an offer could be presented to applicants. If you’re encountering a brain freeze or writer's block, just remember to think as if you were the candidate reading it, what would you like to see, what information would you look for right away? 


If you have already posted a job on your company’s page and would like international and multilingual candidates in Europe, make sure to post your offer at Europe Language Jobs’ platform as well.