Job descriptions are an employee’s first exposure to an organization. So, it’s critical to promote values and expectations that accurately reflect an organization’s ideals and mission to entice the right candidates.  Still, many firms tend to fall victim to the same descriptive pitfalls over and over again. Streamlining your recruitment will help you attract the employees you desire, but also will empower your workforce to attain the goals of your company. Here’s what to look out for.

 
Title Your Positions for Exposure

The obvious first step, but it’s never as simple as it sounds. Many businesses are following a vogue trend for snazzy job titles that do nothing but mislead job seekers and reduce position exposure. These are titles equivalent in other professions to sanitation engineer or marketing ninja. While these terms seem to humanize an employer, they actually minimize your ability to land a candidate. Potential candidates are searching for much broader terms, and broader job titles will help to turn up results online and through employment services. Use your job descriptions wisely—not creatively.

 
Avoid Reducing Positions to Tactical Laundry Lists

While the actual description should provide an opportunity to personalize and promote the unique facets of a position, many organizations fail to capitalize on this. Instead, an organization will reduce jobs to tactical execution requirements. Not only does this deter more creative employees, but the employees that forgo its dullness often feel pigeonholed and limited in their positions once they get hired, so you end up reposting anyway, rehiring and wasting precious time and resources. Include day-to-day needs, yes, but avoid framing the employee as if he or she were a machine. You want employees who can creatively respond to unforeseeable assignments. Focus on a “results approach,” not minute-by-minute task lists.

 
Do Not “Over Describe”

The other common error related to way too many task lists is a job description that also goes deep into the company’s history and wordy philosophy statements, ethereal visions from up high mountain tops and personal food tastes of each company executive. You should give life to a position and your company. But absurdly detailed, lengthy paragraphs or lists telling candidates everything under the sun about your company and its founding and future dreams are a deterrent. Sell your brand, but know when enough is enough to simply attract a candidate, not meet their parents.

 
Clarity Is Key

What do you get if your job descriptions are jargon-filled, acronym-heavy, abbreviated and bureaucratic?  An employee who reflects these qualities. As an employer, think outside the box and you will draw employees who are capable, responsible and adaptive. Remember, you are looking for employees who stand outside the crowd. Differentiating your company as a creative, attractive workplace begins with the first line of a job description.

 
If you are looking for staffing agencies in Philadelphia to help you attract top candidates, contact Magellan Search & Staffing today. We have the experience and network to target talented professional today.