By Sarah Emery, Senior Business Manager
A poorly written job description does not just attract the wrong candidates. It puts off the right ones.
In a competitive talent market, how you describe a role is part of how candidates form their first impression of your organisation. If the description is vague, jargon-heavy, or reads like a compliance document, strong candidates will move on to the next opportunity before they have even read to the end.
Most job descriptions are written as a list of responsibilities. The candidate reads what they will be doing but has no idea what success looks like in the role or why it matters to the business.
Before you write anything, ask: what does this person need to achieve in their first year? What problem are they solving? What will be different because they are there?
A candidate who understands the purpose of a role is far more likely to be engaged by it than one who just sees a list of duties.
Split your requirements clearly into what is essential and what is desirable. Many employers conflate the two and end up with a list of fifteen requirements, most of which are preferences rather than genuine necessities.
Being specific serves two purposes. It helps the right candidates self-select in, and it helps unsuitable ones self-select out. Both save time.
Research consistently shows that keeping essential requirements tight and genuine broadens your candidate pool, particularly among candidates from underrepresented groups who are more likely to only apply when they feel they meet every criterion listed.
There is a persistent reluctance among some employers to include salary details. The usual logic is that they want flexibility or do not want to anchor expectations too early.
The reality is that withholding salary information frustrates candidates and increases drop-off. The strongest candidates, those with options, are least likely to pursue a process where they do not know what is on offer. Roles that include a salary range consistently attract more applications and better-quality ones.
If there is a genuine range, say so. Forty-five to fifty-five thousand depending on experience is useful information. A vague 'competitive salary' is not.
Candidates are increasingly looking for cultural fit alongside role fit. They want to know what it is actually like to work somewhere, not a list of values copied from a website.
Write a short paragraph about the team, the working environment, and what kind of person tends to thrive there. Be honest. If it is a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines, say so. Candidates who join based on an accurate picture of the culture are more likely to stay.
Avoid clichés. 'Fast-paced, dynamic environment' means nothing. 'A team of twelve with direct input on process improvements, reporting to the Operations Director' means something.
Long sentences, dense paragraphs, and corporate jargon make a job description harder to read and less attractive. Write in plain English. Use short paragraphs. Break the document into clearly labelled sections so a candidate can scan it quickly.
Proof-read before you publish. Spelling errors and inconsistent formatting suggest a lack of care, and strong candidates notice.
If you would like expert support attracting the right candidates for your next hire, Elevation works with businesses across South Yorkshire, London, and beyond. Submit your vacancy at https://www.elevationrecruitmentgroup.com/vacancy-registration
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