No matter who you are in the tech world, you’ll know one thing about tech in 2022: It’s a candidate-led market.
What does that really mean? It’s simple: competition is fierce.
Hiring managers, now we’re talking to you: Job specs are too often seen as an arduous task rather than a selling opportunity. However, they can help to ensure you don’t lose to a competitor on your next star employee.
According to Orbis’ Associate Director, Alex Sweetingham “the reality is, when the roles are reversed, businesses expect a candidate’s CV to be the best version possible. Why should job descriptions be any different?”
If that’s got you thinking, you’ll want to read on. We’ve rounded up the key elements to level up your job specs and capture amazing talent.
Company Overview and Mission
A Mission statement should articulate what your company does and why, in a way that’s appealing to customers, and inspiring to talent.
Does your business exist to help people? Or to educate? Whatever problem you solve, say it clearly and concisely.
In your company overview, including how you operate, the customers you serve, and who your management team is.
Job titles
Try not to be ambiguous or generic. Don’t be afraid to make it stand out, but avoid meaningless phrases like ‘Chief of Fun.’
Ensure that your title accurately reflects the duties of the role. There’s no need to oversell, so make sure it’s truly relevant.
No matter what people might say, it’s been proven that we do care about job titles. Talent can be deterred by the smallest things, job title being one of them. A job title can be fundamental to a candidate’s future career prospects.
Finally, avoid internal jargon. Make sure your language is applicable to the market, so potential candidates can understand and relate to it.
Role summary and job description
Do you ever skim applications, or make a judgement based on the first paragraph? Job applicants do the same.
Your job summary is the initial attraction point. Imagine you have one minute to sell your dream candidate the job: Make it vibrant and appealing but stay concise!
Then comes a full job description, which is more detailed but should still be pertinent and accurate.
Potential hires know they will spend a large portion of their week doing what is detailed in this section. Make sure it’s a rounded, truthful, and interesting representation of the role, in all its aspects.
Requirements / qualifications / expertise
Be as sparing as you can here. Demanding too much can alienate capable talent.
Only include requirements that are non-negotiable. When you break this down, the list isn’t that long.
If you need to describe further requirements, include a list of ‘preferred’ skills or qualities.
Of course, every role is suitable for a certain type of person. Just be careful not to rule anyone out by making the list too expansive.
Hours & Locations
94% of job seekers in the UK rated work hours and schedule information as important things to see in a job description.
Talent needs to know the practical demands of the role, so being upfront about these can enhance your search for talent.
Benefits / salary structure / bonus
When similar brands are competing for the best talent, your opportunity can be lost in a league of roles with the same kind of opportunities and the same salary. Benefits, bonuses or salary structure might just be the difference that gives you an edge.
D&I Statement
It’s essential that this is more than a marketing exercise and a true reflection of what employees will experience at your company. Think hard before putting together your D&I statement, and make it realistic.
The statement should demonstrate your commitment to being inclusive of people from all backgrounds. Describe what D&I means to you, and why it’s important, and outline your planned approach.
Quirks & USPs
Your business has a character all of its own. You know it, but they don't - yet!
Use your job spec as an opportunity to let talent know what makes your company special, and why they should join the team.
People are focussed on working culture these days, and rightly so. Ask yourself, what drew you into the business when you joined?
Tone of Voice
A job spec is like a first meeting. The tone you use can set up the relationship between your business and the potential hire. Be authentic to your business culture, and keep your dream candidate in mind. Whatever they’re passionate about, show that you are too, by including the right references. If they're super ambitious, appeal to them through the way you talk about progression and leadership.
Company logo
Small, yet incredibly important. Including your name and logo will stand out, as many companies don’t bother.
They will also lend credibility to your job spec, and make it more memorable. Think of it like putting a face to a name.
Format and spell check
A simple spelling mistake or typo can create a poor impression of your business.
Every spec matters, so put a process in place for quality assurance, proof-check each one, and get a fresh pair of eyes to sanity check whenever you can.
Candidates are seeing a lot of job specs. The ones that are poorly formatted, hard to read, or simply don’t appeal to the eye, won’t get their share of time and attention.
By actioning all of the above, and working closely with a talent partner, you’ll boost your chances of the right talent getting in touch about your latest opportunity.
