Quality job descriptions attract quality people. If your company’s job descriptions don’t stand out from the typical page-long bullet lists that oversaturate Craigslist, you’re not going to catch the attention of the most qualified individuals for an open position. While writing a compelling job description will require more thought than writing the ordinary bullet list-styled description, the payoff will be worth the extra time you put in. Your company will receive applications from talented, creative individuals; the type of people who ignore boring job descriptions out of fear that the work environment will be equally boring.

If you look at job descriptions posted by some of today’s most innovative companies, you’ll see that they reflect a sense of the company culture (here are some of Apple’s job descriptions). Take a look at these descriptions to get an idea of how you can similarly convey your company culture in your job descriptions. You could write about what people at your company are like, what your company offers to its customers, and how it has given back to its local community. Mention any awards that your company has won or anything else that makes it stand out from its competitors.

Your job description should be fun and creative but make sure that the “personality” side of your job description does not overshadow the substance of it. Readers should know that they’re looking at a job description, not at some over-enthusiastic plug for your company. Your job description should clearly explain the key responsibilities and minimum requirements for the position. Include information regarding the level of education, experience, and special skills you expect an ideal candidate to possess. You can use a bullet-style formatting for this portion of the job description but try to keep the number of bullets to a minimum. Too many will make the post look dull and unprofessional.

Have you written a job description that helped you find your ideal candidate? Share your secrets with us!

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