Many organizations don’t realize it, but job descriptions do more than simply list work duties and qualifications. Job descriptions are valuable marketing documents that advertise your business among groups of relevant candidates. Especially when hiring remote talent, a well-written job description can make all the difference in connecting with the right person. 

Beyond clearly explaining responsibilities and qualifications, job descriptions should follow your internal brand guidelines. To illustrate, adding elements like logos and mission statements can go a long way in creating a professional appearance. The more effort you put into developing a streamlined recruiting and hiring pipeline, the better your recruiting results will be.

Explain your culture & brand 

While you obviously want to ensure that candidates have the requisite skill sets to get the job done, they must also be a cultural fit. Yet, how can you expect a candidate to express their personality if you don’t showcase your company culture? Setting aside a small portion of the document to explain what makes your brand unique is extremely impactful. 

Since remote candidates with rare skill sets like software coding and marketing analytics often have tons of employment options, it's important to sell them on your brand. Going the extra mile and explaining why your business is a great place to work can help close the deal with even the most in-demand talent. 

Know the job inside and out 

Before posting on a job board or starting a search with a recruiter, it's best to be 100% clear on critical information like language requirements, salary range, job duties, and experience. If you don’t explain all this information at the outset of a search, it can wreak havoc on your hiring pipeline. 

Not only will misinformation confuse your HR team, but changing duties and requirements for jobs mid-stream frustrates candidates and slows down the entire hiring process. A great piece of advice is to study your standard operating procedures (SOPs) to figure out exactly which duties to lay out in a job description. 

Clearly define responsibilities & qualifications  

Clear and well-defined responsibilities and qualifications are crucial components of job descriptions since they explain expectations for employers and candidates. Clearly outlining the duties, tasks, and objectives of the role helps remote candidates understand the scope of the position and assess their fit for the job. 

While recruiting qualified remote talent is hard enough, things grow exponentially more challenging when you mistakenly hire the wrong person. When your job description fails to adequately explain the position, new hires can quickly grow frustrated when unanticipated surprises and expectations arise. These scenarios are detrimental to employee retention. 

Double-check your description with Human Resources 

Before you publish a job description on a job board, it's important to walk through the hiring criteria with your HR department. Your HR department should give you guidance on what criteria can legally be used to hire or reject candidates, while also helping you craft competitive compensation packages. If you aren’t sure about salary requirements and regulations in different countries, you’re well advised to work with an agency like CommerceSquad that will streamline the process. 

Offer application instructions 

Detailed application instructions are essential in a job description as they ensure a smooth experience for candidates. Clear instructions on how to apply and what documents to submit eliminate confusion and ambiguity. For example, if the position requires a background check or drug test, be upfront about it in your job description. Another way to ensure a great candidate experience is to give them an estimate of how long the application process should take.