The Key To Hiring The Correct Candidate? Write The Correct Position Description
Attracting the correct talent when filling a position can be extremely difficult. A problem often faced is that top talent is turned off by overly ambitious qualifications and unrelated requirements. Creating a first-rate job description is key! This is especially true for positions that are newly created hires,
1. Promote A Strong And Accurate View Of Your Company
Many candidates may overlook a position based upon the lack of company information listed within a job description. Candidates have many online resources at their disposal when researching a prospective company. It is crucial to showcase a company’s reach, progress, and goals. A top candidate will overlook a description that does not stress a company’s progression. Bringing to light past success, current reach, and future goals are all part of defining the positive momentum of a company’s portfolio within a job description.
2. Take Nothing For Granted
While many tasks or functions within a position description might seem overly simplistic, the more information that a potential candidate can see, always helps. This includes certifications needed, systems used throughout the company , specific challenges to the position, clearly defined goals for the role, etc.., Your staffing partner can be a valuable resource in this process where you must “paint” your job description in a way that encompasses all the wants, needs, and desires expressed in a brief established by your company.
3. Clearly Define the Position
A clearly defined role must include the tasks required of the candidate. Organizing the objectives, responsibilities, and qualifications can help avoid confusion before you begin a search, especially for positions that have never existed within your company. A description that clearly establishes the responsibilities of a position will compel unqualified applicants to move on.
4. Choose the Appropriate Qualifications
Qualifications are accomplishments and skills that establish the criteria for the type of applicant that is needed. Qualifications should only express the accomplishments and skills required of the candidate, rather than descriptions of similar positions in the field. For example, “A proven track record of providing leadership” is a qualification because it stresses an accomplishment (a proven track record) and a skill (leadership). On the other hand, “Human Resource Management Experience” merely eliminates quality candidates that may not have held a similar role.
5. Be Realistic
Just because you are not an A+ company doesn’t mean that you aren’t entitled to hire the best candidates. However, understanding your place in the market can save you a lot of time and effort chasing the wrong candidates. If you can pay “X’, focus on those candidates willing to work for “X” rather than hoping that you convince candidates to work for 2 times “X’ to work for you. This holds true for compensation, work environment, culture, and many other areas.
Please feel free to share your own tips as well.
