Hireserve recently published new research which explore how candidates act, think and feel during the recruitment process. They will be talking about it on our Live Chat show tomorrow.
One of the areas which received a lot of feedback was the job description. The same frustrations kept cropping up from respondents.
So, what were the top candidate concerns when it comes to job descriptions? And, more importantly, what can you do about it?
Cut your ‘essential’ requirements
In our research, over half of candidates (58%) would not apply for a role if they didn’t meet the full job specification.*
Review your role spec. Is everything you (or your Hiring Managers) are asking for essential? If not, consider whether you need to include it in the job description.
Research has shown that women’s confidence is more impacted by lengthy specifications than men’s (63%, compared to only 55%). Younger candidates are also adversely affected. 70% of the 18-24 age group agreed that they wouldn’t apply for a role if they couldn’t meet all the requirements.
“Give people a chance. Teach people some new skills.” – Survey respondent
Where possible (and we appreciate for some roles it’s simply not!), avoid long lists of requirements in your job adverts, which may be off-putting to some candidates.
Include dealbreakers at the beginning of your job description
Respondents expressed frustration when truly essential criteria are left until the end of a job spec. Comments included:
“If there are specific requirements that would exclude many potential applicants (e.g. “Must have 15 years’ experience in XYZ industry”) make it the first line of the ad NOT the last line.” – Survey respondent
Essential requirements? Keep them brief and list them first.
Check your spelling and grammar
The odd typo in a job description may not seem like a problem.
Yet the majority of respondents in our research (72%) agreed that poor spelling and grammar in a job description would reflect badly on an organisation.
“I would not want to work for anyone who clearly pays no attention to detail themselves” – Survey respondent
When you’re writing your job description, ensure proofing and editing time is built into your job approval and publishing process.
As well as spotting errors, this is also a good opportunity to review your terminology and presentation for accessibility and inclusivity.
Include the salary
Time and time again, respondents told us that salary should be included in a job description.
Comments from survey respondents included:
“Salary details on a job description are a must.”
“Lack of salary on advertisement makes it difficult sometimes to know what level a role is for”
“Pay is not a luxury, it is a right and if the company can’t be open and honest in advertising their salary… it instantly makes me distrust them.”
Where possible, be upfront with salary details in your job ads and description.
Other things your candidates want to see:
- Workplace location (if employees are required to physically attend) at the top of a job description.
- Include a map on job descriptions so candidates can see where workplace is located.
- Don’t use jargon! Candidates value clarity and authenticity.
“I find job listings that use ‘creative language’ to disguise the true nature of a role annoying.”
- Be clear on leave allowances – don’t bundle in Bank Holidays, for example, to present it as more generous than it really is.
- Promote staff benefits in your job descriptions – but make sure they’re real perks that will deliver value to employees. Again, candidates are good at telling when something is being over-hyped.
To find out more about what matters to your candidates, from job descriptions to interview methods, access the full research – ‘Candidate Behaviour: The Big Report’.
Created by Hireserve, a leading ATS provider, and Monster, a global leader in connecting people and jobs, ‘The Big Report’ aims to be the most comprehensive candidate behaviour report in the industry. Looking at the entire recruitment process, from pre-application right through to hire, download your full report here!
* All stats taken from Candidate Behaviour: The Big Report, created by Hireserve and Monster. Access your copy of the full report here.
