IT Job Descriptions: How to Get Better Results

How many times have you read a terrible job posting? How many times have you read a good one? Chances are, you’ve read far more bad ones than good. And as much as some people would like to do away with job postings altogether, they’re a necessary “evil.” You may have a terrific job opportunity at a great company, but if you don’t let people know about it, you’re not going to get applicants. And if you don’t write a posting that does the position justice, you’re not going to get good applicants.

So, how can you attract higher caliber IT talent when you advertise your open positions?

1) Don’t Be Boring

A job description that simply states the duties and responsibilities of the position, then provides a laundry list of skills is deadly dull and unappealing. You need to help job seekers imagine what it’s like to work at your company and inspire them to apply.

2) Use a Searchable Title

If you’re hiring a Javascript Developer, call it that. Avoid cutesy terms like “Ninja” and “Jedi” that people aren’t likely to be searching. And avoid internal titles. What you may be calling a Web Designer II is more likely to be searched as a Senior Web Designer.

3) Tell Them Why They’d Want to Work for You
It’s important to let IT talent know where your job opportunity can take them professionally. Try to answer the following questions, concisely:

• Why is the job open? If it’s for a good reason, say so!
• What will this job provide the employee? Tell them if they’ll get training and development, the opportunity to work with leading edge technology or on a special project, the chance to work with a great boss or a talented team, or anything else unique or special.
• What type of corporate environment do you have? Let them know if your company is laid-back, fun-loving and hands off, or very corporate, structured and disciplined. That way they know right away if they’ll fit in.

4) Keep it Simple

If a skill set is implicit for a job, don’t waste time and space including it. For example, it’s not necessary to say a web developer needs to know HTML or CSS. And keep your list of requirements to a bare minimum, i.e., four one-sentence bullet points or less. Make them your “knock-out” criteria, the “if you don’t have these, please don’t apply” conditions, but don’t confuse them with the “nice to haves.”

If you follow these tips, you’ll be more likely to attract top IT talent. Not convinced? Call us, and we’ll demonstrate how we bring in the best IT employees.