How to make the perfect job description template to attract candidates + free template
Crafting the right job description to attract the right candidate is a lot like knowing which bait to use to catch the right fish. You have to know what’s going to make them bite.
You’re competing in the same industry as dozens of other companies looking for the same kind of talent you are. Knowing how to show your best face and make your offer appealing will make the right candidates come to you - and no one else.
It’s about showing candidates everything they need to know before applying so that you don’t waste their time - or yours, and they know everything before they even get their offer letter.
I helped oversee the creation of the recruitment process at Charlie, which includes how we word our job descriptions, so I’d like to show you how to make a good job description, and what to avoid.
Before that, I have a ready-made job description for you that you can customise and use for your own recruitment.
8 Best Practices for writing job descriptions
Making the perfect job description isn’t just a matter-of-fact statement of job skills and requirements, you also have to tell the candidate what they stand to gain from the role. It’s a two-way street.
Here are some of the best practices for writing job descriptions that will help you attract the best candidates and stand out from the competition.
1. Write a Job Brief
- Start with an engaging overview of the role, and how it helps grow the company and further its mission.
- Highlight any unique selling points of your company or the team the candidate will be a part of.
2. List all the job requirements and responsibilities
- List all of the necessary skills, qualifications, and desired work experiences needed to perform their job duties.
- Be specific, but reasonable. Make sure they’re all related to the role and avoid embellishing them unnecessarily.
- Soft skills matter too. Mention anything like interpersonal communication, problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork that might be relevant to the role.
3. Include Desirable (But Not Required) Skills
It might help to include nice-to-haves: skills and qualifications that aren’t necessary but a nice addition. This helps encourage candidates who may not tick every box but otherwise are perfectly capable of excelling in the role.
Doing this helps bring in a wider, more diverse pool of applicants who have transferable skills. Potential and willingness to learn are often as valuable as raw experience.
4. Mention the Benefits Offered by the Company
It’s not all about what the candidate can do for you, but what you have to offer them in exchange for their hard work and talent. What are the best benefits you can offer?
Benefits are what elevate a job beyond a paycheck to a career. Go beyond monetary compensation and mention benefits like health insurance, pension schemes, and any unique perks like wellness programs or hybrid work options.
This part of the job description is a good place to talk about opportunities for career growth and development like training, annual conferences, or a stipend for self-education.
5. Highlight the Compensation Package
Many poorly-written job descriptions are intentionally misleading about the salary and compensation or leave it out altogether.
Being clear and upfront about what candidates can expect in terms of salary if hired helps manage their expectations and bring in candidates who are comfortable with what you offer before they bother to apply.
For small businesses and startups, offering equity or stock options can be a big draw here.
6. Add your Equal Opportunities Statement
A strong statement of your commitment to diversity and inclusion helps create a welcoming company culture of the kind people want to apply to work for. It’s important to do this for legal compliance reasons as well.
For that reason, I encourage you to explicitly invite people from diverse backgrounds to apply for the role.
7. Explain how the Interview Process Works
Be clear about what candidates can expect at each stage of the interview process, from the phone screening down to when the final decision is made – you can even outline it in the interview invite email you send.
Give an estimated timeline for when you want to fill the role. It won’t do to keep candidates waiting in the dark indefinitely, it sends quite the wrong message.
8. Make applications easy
Make applying for the role easy and simple. Give straightforward instructions for how to apply for the role, what documents they need, and any specific people or departments to contact. If there’s a deadline, mention that as well.
Job Description Template - Download for free
You needn’t reinvent the wheel and write the whole job description from scratch. That might not be sustainable for each role you want to hire for if you want to scale in the future.
Below I’ve included the same job description template we use at Charlie when we hire for new roles. Feel free to use it, and customise it to fit your own company culture and role.
Role Title
About Charlie
We’re Charlie and we exist to Make Work Better. We believe the best way to do this is by building a tool that democratises great HR for small businesses.
We’re looking for {insert role title}, to join our growing {insert team name} team -to help {key objective of the team}.. Come on and join us to make work better!
What is a “Title/Level”?
We have a career progression framework that each role sits in. Level One is Junior, Level Four is a Senior, and Level Two and Level Three cover that middle area
In this role, you will:
- {Insert breakdown of role}
Requirements
You must have:
- {Insert key requirements}
Let us know if you have: (all of these are desirable, but none are required)
- {Insert nice-to-haves}
We will still consider applications even if you don’t meet every single one of the above requirements, so don’t be put off if you don’t match them absolutely perfectly!
We cannot offer visa sponsorship and you must be able to work in the UK.
The Way We Work
- {insert ways of working}
Compensation Package
- {insert salary range and equity options if applicable}
Benefits
- {insert benefits}
Equal Opportunities Statement
We are an equal-opportunity employer and believe in the power of a diverse, inclusive team.
We welcome all applications from all suitably qualified people, regardless of race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
Please let us know if you require anything which would enable your success throughout our interview process.
Make the Right Job Description to Find the Right Candidates Who Matter
Making job descriptions that show candidates why they should apply to work with you attracts the best talent that is most likely to invest in your success. Starting with the job description template gives you a foundation to start the hiring process off on the right foot.
If you need more hands-on guidance on how to word your job descriptions, get in touch with an HR advisor at Charlie who can help you tailor your job descriptions and optimise them.
