Better Job Descriptions

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The ‘war for talent’ is as fierce today as it has ever been. We need to entice the right individuals towards your business more than ever. 

At Triple Edge Solutions, your job description is just one of the tools we use to attract the very best people to join you. So lets change the way they are written and make YOUR opportunity stand out from the crowd. 

Most job descriptions read like a recipe or a shopping list for the supermarket. We need to make them more exciting but still every bit as factual. 

Every job description should cover Company, Department, Bring and Get. You do not need to set them out in these four headings but when you proof read the document make sure all areas are covered. 

Company – 

Start with a window in to the company – how long established, your area of specialism, your growth plans, recent success stories, the culture, the company values. 

Department – 

Talk about the size of the team today, the growth plans for the team or department, its function within the business, the way it adds value to the business, and the reporting structure.

Bring – 

What are the right skills, background, and experience for the individual you are looking to hire. Discuss the soft skills that are needed for the role, and the cultural fit that you seek. 

Get – 

This is where we talk about why they should join you. What exposure will they get? The great team they will be a part of, the career path, the knowledge they will gain, the targets and aims the company have, the company ambition. 

It may not always be good news you promote; the role may be in an underperforming division but that in itself presents a great challenge and for the right person, exactly the right opportunity.

• Talk about the market leading company they are joining or the best performing business unit in the company. Make sure it is factual but blow your trumpet. 
• Talk to the reader of the document rather than talking about the role – “You will…..instead of “We are” or “The role is”  or “you will be required to.” Throughout the document you must talk in the future tense. 
• Talk about the working conditions – remote working, hybrid working, or promote your office environment. Don’t put “working in an office with second hand, non-matching desks, with a printer that often breaks down with smelly carpet and a vending machine that produces tea that is difficult to distinguish from the chicken soup option”. Instead describe the “open plan, bright office space in central (location) which is conducive to collaborative working with your colleagues. We have ample parking and are a short walk from (location) train station.
• Do not be afraid to share the salary range and benefits package in full – simply putting “competitive” or “attractive” is open to interpretation. Bad job descriptions do not list the benefits package. Mediocre job descriptions say “we offer annual leave, healthcare, gym membership and pension.”Your next employee wants to know the specifics – not listing them is as vague as ‘competitive’ or ‘attractive.’ 

Great job descriptions list benefits as follows: 

• We want you to have a work life balance, so we give you 28 days holiday (not including the bank holidays). We want you to enjoy Christmas with your loved ones, so we finish early on the 23rd December and don’t want to see you again until the 3rd January fully recharged and raring to go. 
• Should you or any of your family become unwell you can be safe in the knowledge that you are covered with our private healthcare scheme. 
• Healthy body = healthy mind, so we will contribute to the gym membership of your choice. 
• Need to invest in your future – if you contribute x%, we will contribute y% to your pensions scheme so you can be safe in the knowledge you are building a nest egg for retirement. 

Too many job descriptions are text only. The only graphic is the company logo. Why not introduce graphs showing the duties of the role in a pie chart format or show the reporting structure in a visual way? 

Why not show examples of recent successes in picture format or show that bright office they will be working in? 

Which job description sounds more appealing?  

Which one would you be more excited about interviewing at?