Writing Job Descriptions: How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes

By Kailey Walters on September 24, 2018

If you are putting up job descriptions on your site, chances are that you want people to take notice of them and apply. And while writing up any old job description and posting it on your site may seem like a relatively easy and simple task, writing good job descriptions inevitably requires a good deal more consideration and effort.

According to a study, job seekers spend an average of only 49.7 seconds scanning a job position before rejecting it, and only 76.7 seconds considering a job that they may be interested in that matches their skills and interests.

This is clearly not a lot of time for job seekers to be looking at positions online — a fact that only heightens the importance of writing up effective and eye-catching position descriptions.

So, how do you go about creating descriptions that will reel in the applicants you seek? Below are some common mistakes that are often made in writing descriptions, and how you can adjust them for your own purposes.

via Pexels.com

1. Using convoluted or cute names in the job title.

You might think it’s a good idea to include names such as “wizard” or “rock star” in the job title to sound cute or catchy, but in reality, these names may cause some confusion among job seekers. Instead, use a job title that is straightforward and simple to efficiently reveal what the position really is. While you may think a simple job title sounds boring and somewhat unoriginal, it is definitely preferable to a flashy, confusing title.

For example, promoting a position with the title “Rockstar Designer” is not quite as clear as using something more straightforward, such as “Assistant Art Director.” The second title is much clearer and conveys to job seekers right away what kind of position is being advertised. What’s more, it may be a good idea to include just a few specific words that help to elaborate on the position. That way, even before job seekers start to scan the accompanying list of responsibilities and requirements, they can tell from a quick glance at the job title alone what the position might entail.

Remember, if the job posting lacks a clear title, it’s much too easy for job seekers to quickly scroll past it without giving it a second thought. To that end, if you want to increase the chances of people taking notice of your postings, the first step to take is to come up with a good title!

2. Writing vague, generic descriptions.

The next thing people tend to look at after the job title is the job description. Writing an effective description can be a bit tricky. You could be spending hours staring at the computer screen, wondering, What counts as too vague or too specific?

In most situations, you’ll want to be as direct and informative as you can without providing an overload of details. That means staying away from buzzwords and generic phrases to describe the position, and instead being honest and direct about what the position actually entails. That way, job seekers will be able to read the description and easily recognize what would be expected of them from the job.

3. Using a bland, boring tone.

Most job seekers probably won’t respond well to a bored, uninspired description of the job. That’s why you should use your job postings as an opportunity to advertise your company and sell its good points. Incorporate an enthusiastic, creative voice into the job description, so that it’s more than simply a list of responsibilities and requirements, but instead, a dynamic portrayal of your company.

To that end, you may want to include a small section to provide information about the company itself, what it does, its values, what it stands for, etc. Having this bit of information available to job seekers is helpful, as it gives them an idea of what kind of company they would be working for and helps them know what to expect. And of course, using a creative, enthusiastic voice in the written description is a plus (as long as you don’t overdo it): the language will attract job seekers and bring them to be excited, too!

infographic, mistakes, job descriptions

Infographic by Kailey Walters

4. Structuring everything as one giant paragraph.

When job seekers are scrolling through a job site (whether it be LinkedIn, Indeed.com, or any other site), they aren’t spending a whole lot of time on each job posting. In fact, they probably won’t even give their attention to many of the positions they scroll past — particularly if all they see is a giant block of text. After all, most people aren’t going to take the time to read through the entire paragraph word for word.

Instead, to make the job posting easier on the eyes and more palatable to viewers, break up the information into different sections. Perhaps include one small paragraph briefly explaining the company and/or the position itself, then include a list of responsibilities and/or requirements.

Organizing the information into different parts, in this manner, certainly provides a more efficient way for job seekers to read and comprehend everything in front of them.

5. Listing too many required responsibilities and skills.

Another thing that is sure to turn off prospective job applicants is a long list of responsibilities and duties associated with the position. While including a detailed description of the position is certainly a good thing, presenting too much information can become overwhelming and consequently cause viewers to scroll past your offering. What’s more, including a very long list can make the job position appear unfocused and as if it expects too much of the applicant.

To avoid overwhelming job seekers with overlong lists, take a good look at the responsibilities that are required of the position. Narrow down that long list into a shorter, more concise list that focuses on the most important aspects of the job. Doing so will display the prioritized tasks and skills that are needed for the position, which can help prospective applicants gain a clear idea of what is expected of them should they get hired. Keeping the list to four to six bullet points is an ideal number to aim for.

The same concept applies to the list of skills you’ll probably include in the job description as well. Including too many skills often goes hand in hand with including too many vague descriptive words, which ultimately just confuses job seekers. So instead, aim to hit those four to six bullet points of skills and you should be good to go.

6. Using discriminatory language.

A huge turnoff to any job seeker is the use of discriminatory language in any form, whether it’s sexist, racist, ageist, or what have you.

Specifically, gender-biased language is something you should avoid in your job descriptions, because it not only turns off female applicants but also is detrimental to overall gender diversity in your company. In fact, psychology studies show that women are less likely to apply to jobs that have masculine-sounding descriptive words (such as “aggressive” or “assertive”).

To avoid this gender bias, use words that are more gender-neutral and inclusive such as “responsible” and “cooperative.” Doing so will allow your job descriptions to appeal to both men and women, so that no one feels offended or even subconsciously driven away from a certain position based on the description alone.

This concept also applies to other forms of discriminatory language, such as racist or ageist descriptive words. To avoid using any kind of potentially offensive language, proofread your written descriptions carefully to ensure they are not offensive to any particular group or denomination.

7. Not proofreading the description for grammar and punctuation.

Another reason you should be reading over your written descriptions is to check for grammar and punctuation mistakes. No one wants to slog through a poorly written description that barely makes any sense.

To avoid this easily correctable mistake, take the time to proofread what you have written. Doing so will most likely only take a few minutes (as the description itself shouldn’t be very long). What’s more, it will benefit you a great deal in the long run by showing that you are organized, you take the time to carefully look over your work, and you care about the image you present to the rest of the world.

8. Not providing enough detail.

On the flip side of having too much information in one spot is not having enough details about the position. Job seekers are curious and want to know the most important things about the jobs they apply to — and one of those details often includes the salary. Applicants want to know what they’re getting into and how much they’ll be paid for it, so it’s only fair that they see the salary range and know what to expect right from the get-go.

Another detail that should be included in the description is how many years of experience are needed for the job. Providing job seekers with this information right away is important, so that they know the application requirements before they start applying.

Ultimately, providing enough detail ensures that both you and job applicants are not wasting each other’s time. For efficiency’s sake, give your audience what they need to make a smart and informed decision.

via Pexels.com

9. Forgetting to think about search engine optimization (SEO).

Another very important part of marketing your job positions, especially as they are being posted online, is search engine optimization (SEO). You’ll want your postings to reach as many people as it possibly can, which is why you should take the time and effort to include keywords and use other SEO strategies that will help put your postings on your target audience’s radar. Especially because college students often search for job postings online, it’s important to have good SEO to capture their attention.

Speaking of SEO strategies, a few critical ones include focusing on the quality of your posts, not overdoing the use of keywords, and making sure to share your posts across the internet and even on social media. Getting the word out about your job postings and offerings will go a long way in reaching a variety of potential job applicants, which can help grow your company in many great ways.

10. Neglecting to sell the position to job seekers.

Your audience consists of people who are looking for jobs — jobs that you have posted and want them to pay attention to! As a result, your job descriptions should find a way to appeal to those job seekers in your audience — in other words, address what the job can do for them. Talk about how this particular position can benefit them, such as what skills they might learn and what connections they can make. Allowing them to know the perks of the position is definitely one way to attract their attention from the beginning.

11. Forgetting who your audience is.

Speaking of audience, it’s also important to remember who you are talking to. Your job descriptions are meant to target a certain group of people with certain skills and interests — for example, a posting for a data analyst at an insurance company speaks to one type of person while a posting for an online blogger speaks to someone else. Keeping that in mind, gear your written descriptions towards the types of people those positions are meant for.

While writing up effective job descriptions can seem a bit difficult at times, the process doesn’t have to be daunting. Rather, see it as an opportunity to promote your company and the positions you have to offer. By being aware of the most common description-writing mistakes, you will be able to effectively market the positions being offered and the company itself. What follows, as a result, is the ability to attract a pool of talented new employees, spread your influence across the internet, as well as grow and diversify your workforce.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get College Recruiting News Monthly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format