{"id":999882138,"date":"2017-09-24T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-24T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dice.npgdev.com\/?p=801367375"},"modified":"2025-03-18T16:11:33","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T16:11:33","slug":"job-descriptions-attract-candidates-technologists-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dice.npgdev.com\/hiring\/recruitment\/job-descriptions-attract-candidates-technologists-perspective","title":{"rendered":"Job Descriptions That Attract Candidates – A Technologist’s Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Do’s and Dont’s of Creating Great Job Descriptions <\/span><\/strong> By Kate Matsudaira<\/strong> As someone who is a technology professional \u2013 and has hired tech staff and built teams at the senior level \u2013 I know first-hand that with any good job description, you first want to get inside the minds of your potential candidates. You want to zero in on the factors that matter most to those that are a perfect fit for the position. What elements are important to them in a job and company? Do they care about growth opportunities? Exciting new challenges? Working with a phenomenal team? You need to focus on what they care most about <\/strong>(which may not be the things you like best). Note: Sample job descriptions are located at the bottom of this post.<\/strong><\/em> Download a printable PDF of this article<\/span><\/a>. Do’s and Don’ts<\/span><\/strong> As an HR professional or recruiter, you already know the basic elements that are required in a job description, like including an attention-grabbing title, details on what sets your company apart and a clear call-to-action. But for every good description you read, there are 10 awful ones. Here are some guidelines from a technologist\u2019s perspective to make sure your posting is one of the greats. STEP 1. DO provide some specifics. <\/strong> You want to give your candidate details about the role, particularly what makes this position in this company different from every other company. Let the candidate know if they\u2019re qualified up front and what tools they will be using. Also, don\u2019t be afraid to get specific or friendly. For example, instead of just mentioning a \u201cfully-stocked snack area,\u201d why not tell what the office\u2019s favorite treat is? Sharing details lets candidates begin to know your company, which makes them care about working for you.<\/strong> The job description should reflect the personality of your organization..<\/span><\/strong> STEP 2. DON\u2019T fill your job description with requirements that are really desires.<\/strong> I can\u2019t stress enough how important this is to tech professionals. You\u2019ll save yourself a lot of time and energy by giving serious consideration to the must-haves of a position. Make a list of everything you think is absolutely required, then consider how many are absolute requirements, and which are just desired qualifications.<\/span> The reason for asking this is that listing something as a \u201crequirement\u201d may cause some viewers to skip over the posting, even if they are only missing one of the items. This can cause you to miss out on candidates you might otherwise have considered. So for example, if extensive experience deploying the cloud is essential for the job, then list it as a requirement. But, if you\u2019d be willing to consider an applicant who instead has five years of coding experience and hosts their own website, consider making that cloud experience a desired qualification instead. Also, make sure the years of experience you\u2019re requiring is reasonable. Too often employers make themselves look foolish by asking for five years of experience with a brand new technology and it exceeds the time the skill has actually existed. (Hint: Make sure you also list the tech skills you desire in the \u201cRequired Skills field\u201d on Dice, so your job posting is easily found by search engines.)<\/em>.<\/span><\/strong> STEP 3. DON\u2019T forget the details of the day-to-day role.<\/strong> Whether you\u2019re hiring for one specific role, or growing a team with a number of available positions, candidates need to see what kinds of tasks will be filling their days. This is easier for some, but it needs to be a priority when you\u2019re hoping to attract the best and brightest. While you want to let them know that they\u2019ll have \u201cchallenges\u201d and \u201copportunities\u201d and other vague-but-important \u201cresponsibilities,\u201d people want to know what kind of duties their position actually entails. It may not be the most glamorous section of the post, but it\u2019s important to break down what this position will involve day-to-day. For example: writing code, collaborating on designs, managing releases and deployments, or writing technical specifications.<\/span> STEP 4. DO get insights from recent hires.<\/strong> Here are some questions you can ask new staff members to determine what you should emphasize in the description:<\/p>\n