In today’s market, it is especially important to think about how you are writing your job description. You are trying to attract passive job seekers who may not be actively looking for a new job opportunity. Therefore, you need to carefully consider how you write your job description, to ensure you are advertising your position in the best possible way. We asked Paula Page, our Head of Procurement and Sustainability Recruitment on how to best write a job description. Here’s what she suggests!

Firstly, focus on how your job description is structured; have you introduced your organisation and highlighted its culture in the job description? Will potential applicants understand the position and the opportunities that are offered within the role and how it can benefit their career? Does the job description describe the overall strategy of the team and how this role will help deliver that strategy? Make sure that these details are covered in your job description.

Since your priority is to attract the top talent for your organisation, it is imperative that your job description mentions the benefits offered by the vacancy. Focus on providing training and development information that may be relevant to candidates who are seeking significant advancements in their careers. Many candidates who may already be employed may seek opportunities for career progression that their current organisation may not be offering. If they see a job description that emphasises the training they would receive and how the role could lead to future career growth, it might entice them to apply for the vacancy.

Although it is important to make your job description attractive enough to the candidate, it is as important if not more, that you mention how impactful the vacant role will be to the wider team and the overall organisation. Ordinarily, there may be more junior members in a team. So, make sure you mention whether this role would mentor those individuals or whether the role itself would be mentored by more senior members. If so, highlight how such mentorship can help candidates on their CIPS journey or other qualifications that will help further advance their career.

Throughout the process of structuring your job description, keep in mind that you are trying to attract those passive job seekers. So, use this as a chance to entice them into applying for the role. Observe your job description and ask yourself if it excites you if you were in the applicant’s position. Because if your job description does not seem enticing to you and your team, it will not stand out to the passive job seekers you are trying to attract to this position.