Creating the perfect job spec

by Startacus Admin

Last time out careers marketplace partners Jobbio shared some valuable tips on how to drive traffic and boost job applications to your available roles. Now, we take a further step back and share their previous article on the key factors to consider to help create the perfect job spec for your startup job. Over to Jobbio to explain all...

"An effective job post is a crucial element of recruitment, but it is often relegated to a lower priority in the overall hiring process. As a result, job posts can be haphazardly put together.

This can become quickly problematic because if you can’t properly define the role your company needs to fill from the outset, then you’re going to have a hard time attracting relevant talent. Plus, overlooking seemingly small details can actually make a big impact on your number of applicants. To help you along, here are six key factors that you can implement to create the perfect job post in the first place...

1. Get the basics right: your job title and salary

Your job title should match the actual description, responsibilities, and level of seniority or experience required in the job so you’re getting the most relevant Talent. Having an accurate title will also improve the searchability of your job.

Salary is one of the biggest motivations for applying for a new position – so it still comes as a surprise when companies choose not to advertise it! Despite how appealing your position is, some of the best Talent could quickly pass by if you don’t indicate the level of compensation. At the very least, include a salary bracket to allow for some negotiation. The inclusion of a salary is also helpful to potential applicants as it provides a guide to the level of the position.

2. Indicate the candidate’s main responsibilities and requirements

Focus on the most important aspects of the role and be detailed about what these would entail, rather than giving a lengthy but unspecific list. Also be sure to differentiate between what is required in a candidate and what is simply preferred, otherwise you might risk missing out on exceptional candidates just because they don’t tick some of the less important boxes.

Inputting keywords and the skills required will optimise your job posting in search engines, as well as allow us to target your job to the most relevant Talent on Jobbio. This is especially helpful if you use a title that fits with your company culture, but is not the most common title for the position. For example, if you choose ‘Sales Superstar’ instead of ‘Business Development Executive’, adding relevant skills will ensure the job is still easily picked up.

3. Keep it simple, concise, and easy to read

No matter how complex the position is, make sure your spec can be easily digested by a candidate. They are likely to be going through job posting after job posting, so avoid using large blocks of text, overly complicated terminology, and unnecessary jargon. Even the most experienced and passionate candidates could be deterred by this. A handy tip is to use bullet points to break up information.

4. Include the hours, start date and location

This will immediately cut out the candidates who are not suitable for the role, for instance, those who might not be available to start immediately or who can only work a certain number of hours a week.

Nowadays, Talent might be led to your job post from multiple sources – so make sure to include your location in case, for instance, someone in Dublin discovers your London-based role. On Jobbio, including your location also enables Talent to discover your job when browsing with the map function on our app.

5. Make your benefits and perks stand out

Have you got subsidised food in your cafeteria, a lucrative bonus scheme, or employee discounts? Make sure to include all the benefits and perks of the job to incentivise Talent to apply for your roles.

6. Give your posting visual appeal and personality

Inject some of your company culture into your post to differentiate yourself from competitors and attract Talent who will be a good fit within your company. You can do this by using team photos, office photos, or relevant videos such as employee testimonials. Although these typically can’t be included in job boards, you are able to add various multimedia content in your Jobbio job spec. As Talent are placing more emphasis on company culture in their job search, it’s crucial to differentiate yourself from other companies and demonstrate what kind of employer you are."

This article was originally published on Jobbio. 

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• #startup job