From Position Description to Tailor-Made Offer: A Guide on How to Write a Concise and Effective Job Description with Practical Job Description Examples
Business owners, managers, and human resources departments dream of hiring qualified, diligent, hard-working, and loyal employees. The type of people working in your company is largely the result of your recruitment efforts. It all comes down to the job posting—its content, tone, and the platforms or channels it’s published on. It may seem simple, but is it really? This article explains how to write a job description that has the potential to attract the right candidates effectively.
Before Writing Job Descriptions: It All Starts with the Image of the Job Offer
Today’s market favors the employee. This means that a job seeker can choose from many available offers. While this term simplifies a more complex reality, it underscores the point: employers must make a greater effort to find the right candidates for any new position.
Crafting the right, effective job ad, although critical, is just the tip of the iceberg. Whether a job advertisement is positively received depends not only on its content but also on the company’s image. This is why external employer branding is so crucial—building a positive reputation of the employer among potential candidates.
This includes activities such as attending job fairs, being active on social media and online forums, and collaborating with university career centers. The aim is to create an image of a company as an attractive, respected, and recognizable employer—standing out from the competition and encouraging top talent to apply.
Tailor-Made Job Advertisements
Contrary to popular belief, writing job descriptions is not easy. A good position description must meet formal requirements, provide accurate and essential information about the role and your company, and stand out in a sea of similar ads to attract the best candidates. When writing a job ad, always consider the audience you’re targeting.
Creative ads with a “twist” may not appeal in every industry. In more specialized fields, candidates often seek straightforward facts. The more professional and serious the tone, the better. However, if your target audience includes students or young professionals, eye-catching headlines and engaging introductions may be more effective.
What Should a Job Advertisement Include?
A well-written job advertisement serves as a foundational framework for the recruitment process. It must clarify expectations and provide a clear picture of the job. Here are the essential components:
Employer’s Name
This is a key element. Besides the company name, it’s helpful to include basic information about the company’s field of activity and reach. Often, the job ad is a candidate’s first point of contact with the company, so adding details about the company culture can be valuable. In some cases, the employer’s name is hidden for valid reasons. However, job seekers may be wary of such ads. In these cases, focus on describing the company culture, collaboration, and employee benefits without revealing identifying facts.
Company Address
Job ads should specify the job location—sometimes even the exact address—especially in larger cities. Despite the rise in remote or hybrid work, many candidates still consider location when choosing an employer.
Job Title
This is the first thing candidates see and often determines whether they’ll read further. An effective title is typically 1-4 words. While it’s tempting to give the position’s title a more appealing or foreign-sounding name, it must still reflect the actual duties and level of responsibility. The job title should clearly indicate both role and hierarchy. Examples like Grants Accountant, Associate Registrar, Facilities Planner, or Manager Desktop Services are clear and direct.
Reference Number
Including a reference number helps identify the recruitment process and ensures the candidate’s documents are matched to the correct position.
Responsibilities / Essential Functions
The job description should accurately reflect the tasks and responsibilities of the position. This section provides an overview of the role. Start by listing the core duties—the essential functions that take the most time or are most important. It’s best to use bullet points for readability. Don’t forget to include unique responsibilities that distinguish the role and could serve as exciting challenges or development opportunities. These may also indirectly indicate the specific skills a candidate should have to perform the job successfully. You can also mention how the position assists or provides work direction to others.
The tone should match the audience. Use formal language for experienced professionals and a more relaxed tone for younger audiences. The industry also affects the choice of language—what works for accountants (e.g., Manager Custodial Services) may not work for creatives.
This section can also act as a filter. Using industry-specific language can naturally discourage underqualified candidates and reduce the number of irrelevant applications. A detailed and thoughtful description will accurately reflect the duties and enhances your company’s image as a credible employer. It should clearly describe the type of work and the working conditions. Ensure you note if the description is not all-inclusive and that other duties or removed sections may apply, often with a note that a supervisor must approve changes.
Requirements
This section should list essential qualifications. It should detail the education and experience needed for a candidate to be successful in this role. Be specific about experience required, including relevant experience or if an internship or undergraduate work experience is sufficient. List educational qualifications, relevant courses, tools, soft skills like problem-solving or logical thinking, language proficiency, and availability. It’s important to list what a candidate must possess and what the preferred qualifications are. This clarifies the level of qualifications and the knowledge required for entry into the position.
What We Offer
This crucial section outlines what candidates will gain. This includes salary ranges, type of contract (full-time or part-time), career path, and promotion opportunities (e.g., when the company recommends salary increases). Detail benefits such as work-life balance, remote options, flexible hours, and healthcare packages. This section also sets expectations for the evaluation of performance and the expected results.
Legal Requirements
Labor law mandates equal treatment. In the United States, for example, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on a physical or mental disability. Phrases like “young and dynamic” are legally problematic because they suggest discrimination.
Requesting photos may also be discriminatory. Employers are allowed to request documentation of education, qualifications, and employment history—but only as needed for the specific job.
Remember to include a data protection clause, stating that applicants agree to the processing of their personal data.
Hints for Writing Job Descriptions (not only for Human Resources)
Here are some additional items to consider and hints to assist you in creating an effective new job description:
- Use a template: A job description template ensures consistency and that you don’t miss key information.
- Be concise: Shorten your description where possible. Avoid overly long paragraphs.
- Avoid jargon: Do not use ambiguous terms. Be clear and direct about the job expectations.
- Give a “bird’s eye view”: Start with a job summary to give a quick overview before detailing the processes.
- Physical demands: If the job has physical requirements, list them clearly (e.g., “must be able to lift up to 20 pounds“). These are essential to carrying out the job functions.
Job Advertisements in the Contact Center Industry
Contact Center jobs have a relatively low barrier to entry, making them ideal for those without prior work experience. Highlight the many benefits of working on a helpline when creating your job ad. Working in a Call Center can provide valuable skills for the future—handling customer interactions teaches quick thinking, assertiveness, and communication. It can also be financially rewarding.
Flexibility, remote work options, and clear career paths are additional advantages. Ambitious, motivated employees often get promoted, as internal recruitment is the norm for higher-level roles.
Effective Job Ads and Communication Channels
Writing job descriptions is just part of the process. Choosing the right platform is equally important and depends on the required qualifications. The choice of channel significantly affects recruitment effectiveness. HR departments typically use several platforms.
The internet has largely replaced traditional ads. Popular job portals remain widely used, but specialized sites and social media are gaining ground. Analyze each channel’s effectiveness and invest in those with the best ratio of suitable candidates to applications. Don’t neglect the “Careers” page on your own website, as it is a powerful employer branding tool.
Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Even the best-crafted job advertisement won’t bring results if the organization doesn’t have a good reputation. That’s why taking care of the candidate experience is so important.
What is candidate experience? It refers to the series of experiences a candidate goes through. A candidate can become an ambassador for your organization or effectively discourage others from applying. A good practice is to include a note in the job posting stating that only selected candidates will be contacted.
A related concept is employee experience. Before starting a job search, candidates frequently check review platforms to form their opinion about a potential employer.
The Job Ad Is Just the Beginning
An effective job description is just one element of recruitment. However, it’s a critical component—without it, hiring the right people to be productive and successful becomes nearly impossible. And it’s the people who build an organization.
If you need help turning a strong description into the right hire, CCIG Group can support your recruitment efforts. As the largest provider of outsourced call centre and contact centre services in Poland, with thousands of experienced agents across multiple locations and support in 20+ languages, we specialise in sourcing, screening and placing skilled customer-service professionals.
Read more insights from our experts or contact us to discuss tailored recruitment solutions.
