ScopeAT

If you had to guess how long the average job seeker spends looking at your job description, you’d probably say at least a minute or two, right? Well, not exactly.

According to one study, the average jobseeker only spends 14 seconds reviewing a job post before deciding if it’s a fit.

Clearly, you don’t have a lot of time to wow potential candidates and position your company as a great place to work. However, by avoiding certain job description pitfalls, you are much more likely to grab their attention (and keep it).

That’s why we’ve put together this list of common job description mistakes, along with some best practices that explain how to steer clear of them.

1. Using words like ‘ninja’ or ‘rock star’ in your job titles

Using titles like “wizard,” “rock star,” and “guru” in your job descriptions may sound cute, but it’s not helping you attract talent. That’s because these terms don’t give candidates enough specific info about the role they’re applying for. For example, here’s what you don’t want to do:

Instead, ditch jargon altogether and use simple, common titles that a candidate will recognize immediately — like this one:

Using common titles is also important because it will help people searching for a role (like “data analyst”) surface your job post.

2. Writing a generic and uninformative job description

A generic, spare job description that only talks about the requirements and responsibilities of the role isn’t going to get the candidate excited about the company or the position.

Example of what not to write in your job description:

The ideal candidate will use their passion for big data and analytics to provide insights to the business covering a range of topics. They will be responsible for conducting both recurring and ad hoc analysis for business users.

Try something like this in your job description instead:

Our Data and Analytics team focuses on creating competitive advantage for our company and our customers through novel data infrastructure, metrics, insights, and data services. We’re a small but rapidly growing data science and engineering team that builds and leverages state-of-the-art analytics systems.

Ideal candidates will use their passion for big data and analytics to provide insights to the business, covering a range of topics. They will be responsible for conducting both recurring and ad hoc analysis for business users.

Here, the added description of the team and its mission gives the candidate something enticing to think about and drives interest in the role, while also showing the impact that their work would have on the business.

3. Including a never-ending list of job responsibilities

Listing too many responsibilities and goals will make the job description seem unfocused and your potential candidate will be unsure of what you’re looking for. Even if they have the right experience, no candidate wants to parse through a list that looks like this:

– Understand the day-to-day issues that our business faces

– Compile and analyze data related to business-to-business transactions

– Develop clear visualizations to convey complicated data in a straightforward fashion

– Help assess new technologies for data scientists

– Partner with researchers and product managers in the R&D organization to build scalable models

– Build tools for data scientists to use, expedite, and improve the quality of their research

– Ensure the data conforms to the quality expectations of the organization

– Prioritize, document, and organize work to meet deadlines

– Investigate non-standard requests and problems with some assistance from others

Instead, prioritize what’s important and aim for a small number of clear, concise goals that gives the candidate a picture of the role. Four to six bullet points is a good sweet spot to aim for:

– Compile and analyze data related to business transactions

– Develop clear visualizations to convey complicated data in a straightforward fashion

– Transform data from one source or format to another, importing it into our product

– Gain an understanding of our product, our customers’ data, and the industry to inform data adjustments and quality

Note: Using jargon-y words like “procurement” and “KPIs” can confuse younger or less experienced candidates. Avoid this when writing job descriptions, especially for interns or entry-level roles.

4. Using paragraph format to describe qualifications and job requirements

Long-winded paragraphs force potential candidates to have to slow down and really search for the info they need. The want to know if they are qualified for the role and if they can’t find that info quickly, they might lose interest. Here’s what you don’t want to do:

Ideal candidate should have 3-5 years of data analysis experience, and be proficient in SQL and other database technologies.

Candidates want to quickly scan and digest requirements. Make it easier on them by reformatting them as bullet points, like so:

– 3-5 years data analysis experience

– Proficient in SQL and database technologies

5. Having gender-biased words in your descriptions

Using words like “strong,” “competitive,” and “chairman” (or other male-specific titles) doesn’t just drive female candidates away — it also harms your overall diversity efforts. Studies show female professionals are much less likely to apply to jobs with these “male-sounding” words in their job descriptions. That said, using words like “nurturing” or “sensitive” can also keep male candidates from applying, limiting your total talent pool.

Avoid these male-bias words:

– Strong

– Competitive

– Assertive

– Ninja

– Decisive

– Leader

– Self-reliant

– Chairman

Instead, choose words like:

– Professional

– Courteous

– Customer-oriented

– Responsible

If you’re looking for an automated way to scan your job posts to make sure they will appeal to women, there’s an app for that.

6. Forgetting to optimize your job descriptions for search engines

You want your job listings to reach as many people as possible, maximizing your pool — and to achieve that, you can’t afford not to think about search engine optimization (SEO) when crafting descriptions. Use this checklist when writing up your job description to make sure you’re taking full-advantage of SEO:

Avoid gimmicky titles
People don’t search for legal ninja or digital overlord. Put title and location front and center
Include this detail in the URL, the post title, and again in the first few sentences. Brainstorm other terms that people might use
For example, if you’re hiring a “marketing associate” that will focus on social media, optimize for those terms as well. Don’t overdo the keywords
It can come off as gimmicky. Share, share, share
The more a post is shared, the more weight search engines give it. Add links to top sites
Links to your company homepage and other product pages to boost SEO credibility — and deliver a better user experience. Make your site responsive
People often search for jobs in their spare time and when they’re on the go, which means mobile optimization is key. Plus, responsive sites rank better on mobile. Focus on quality
The best posts deliver informative, helpful, clearly written content, which is rewarded by search engines.

We’ve already gone over some of these tactics — like avoiding gimmicky titles — but tips like adding links and making the site more responsive (especially on mobile) are specific SEO strategies that will help boost your rankings in Google and other search engines.

Also, keep in mind that search engines are getting smarter, and SEO isn’t just about cramming in as many keywords as possible. Google will always reward high-quality, valuable content that gives the candidates exactly what they’re looking for.

Writing job descriptions may feel daunting, but they really don’t have to be complicated. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can create your own descriptions that entice candidates and position your company as a great place to work.

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