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For business owners without an HR team or a talent onboarding process, it can be daunting when you need to hire. An unexpectant vacancy on the team or a recent scale in business can prompt the need to quickly seek talent to help. How you present your company and the job in the listing will determine the quality of talent you attract.
I often search Upwork for work opportunities aligned with my skill set and current services as well as receive invitations to interview. Many times, I notice that companies leave out essential information about their business or about the role or project offered that would help me decide if I want to accept the interview or submit a proposal.
There may be reasons company details are not shared at this stage. Information may be proprietary, there could be privacy policies, or space limits preventing a full description. There are still ways, however, to share what your company does, and state opportunities in a way that attracts the top candidates you are looking for.
Here’s our top tips for what to include in your job listing.
- Overview your product or service, company mission, and working style
- Provide details of the opportunity or role
- State the ownership or impact of the work or role
- List requirements to qualify for an interview
- Note special considerations or wish-list items
- Attract applicants with call-to-action statements
- Set expectations for the interview and include next steps
- Follow up with all qualified candidates
1: Overview your product or service, company mission, and working style
Include a short section in the job listing that introduces the business, your mission, values, working ethos, and the products or services you offer. This information should already be in your company profile, but be sure to include a couple of sentences in your job listing too. This adds context for potential candidates to understand the type of company they would engage with and if their skill set might be a good fit. Here is a good example of how a company can quickly introduce themselves and point out what role they are hoping to fill.
2: Provide details of the opportunity or role
Sometimes companies are general in their descriptions, rather than providing the detail of an opportunity or role that could help top talent know when to opt in or out. If you are looking for someone to knock out tasks, share details about the tasks. It’s hard to believe but I do run across opportunities that just state tasks needed for the role and what one would do on a daily basis. This is helpful and also tells me the company has been thoughtful and clear about what they are looking for and that sets me up for success. Here is an example of a listing that clearly details what the opportunity is and details about the role.
3: State the ownership and impact of the work or role
Once you’ve explained the scope of the project or role in detail so that candidates understand what responsibilities are included, share how the role impacts the business and provides value. This detail will attract the interest of top talent and help them know if they want to apply or agree to an interview. Here’s a great example of a job post that shows how the role impacts the business and provides value.
4: List requirements to qualify for an interview
Are there any specific requirements a candidate must have to apply for the role or project? Some areas to consider are location or time zones, software system candidates need to have and be proficient in, or level of experience required to perform the duties. Include a tidy list of qualifications to help candidates self-select. Here is a good example of a company that listed questions instead of requirements to help candidates know if they qualify for next steps.
5: Note special considerations or wish-list items
Are there any special skills or experiences that would add value to your company that would be ideal for the candidate to have? If so, be sure to include this information in the job description. This can help a qualified candidate know how to stand out and help you identify the wow factor that tips the scale on which candidate to offer the project or role.
6: Attract applicants with call-to-action statements
Include engaging phrases like “We are looking for” or “Apply now” or any other positive call-to-action statements in your description. There are tons of opportunities on Upwork and it helps when a company is clear about what the next steps are to apply. Ask for an answer to a specific question, or request detail that might be unusual for a generic job listing. A bonus is that this shows which applicants are following directions and isolates who’s ideal for the role. Here’s an example of a company that prompted applicants to apply for the position with call-to-action statements.
7: Set expectations for the interview and include next steps
After you’ve isolated which candidates to offer interviews to, suggest meeting times and send an overview of what will be discussed in the interview to help the candidate prepare. This shows that you value your time and respect theirs, and that you plan to have a quality, productive meeting. This approach organizes the interview so you can get important information and make a faster decision to whom to offer the role.
8: Follow up with all qualified candidates
Once you’ve identified the candidate for the role, consider following up with other qualified candidates that did not get the position. This closes the loop on communication and continues to build relationships in case you need a backup and also for future opportunities at your company.
Attract the top talent you seek
It’s not always easy to post jobs or opportunities. Presenting your job listing post in a way that will attract the right talent or interviewees saves time on meetings and energy that can be allocated to other important tasks and responsibilities.
I am a customer experience and success strategist who helps businesses streamline, transform, or improve their customer experience programs, operations, workflow systems, and customer journeys. If you’d like some help with your cx program, send an inquiry through my Upwork profile and we can discuss the best options for your needs.
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