How to Write Job Descriptions that Attract High-Quality Candidates
Posted by Daria Tkach, Senior Recruitment Consultant on Monday, June 24, 2024
In today's highly competitive construction job market, attracting high-quality candidates starts with a compelling job description. This could be the first touch point of interaction with a suitable candidate, so a job description has to make an impression that counts. In this blog, I will explore some essential elements that make up an effective construction job description.
Keep the job title precise
The job title will be the first thing potential candidates will see. Making it clear and specific helps candidates to understand the role and its requirements.
Make sure the job description is brief and engaging
According to the Glassdoor report, in the last 3 years, about 70% of job applications were made from mobile devices. Mobile screens are small, and users have short attention spans, so lengthy descriptions can lead to disinterest. Clarity, conciseness and engagement in job descriptions help employers catch the eye of potential suitable candidates.
An engaging, well-crafted job description can make the opportunity more desirable.
Detail the Responsibilities
Outline the primary duties and responsibilities clearly. Using bullet points is a good idea for easy readability. Being specific about what the job entails provides clarity and transparency, helping candidates understand the scope of the role and assess their fit, which attracts the right applicants.
Specify Required Skills and Qualifications
To maximize your chances of securing the ideal construction candidate, it is important to cover both the essential and flexible features of the job. This approach clearly communicates the crucial, non-negotiable skills needed for the job, while also encouraging more candidates to apply by highlighting flexible responsibilities. This strategy attracts more potential applicants, increasing the likelihood of finding the perfect fit.
Include Information about the Company Culture and Benefits
Employee benefits are becoming more important in the face of rising living costs. Candidates also want to know about your company culture and what it’s like to work for you. Include information such as health benefits, professional development opportunities and any other unique perks, making the role more appealing to high-quality candidates and improving job satisfaction and staff retention.
Optimize for Search Engines
Experienced Maxim Recruitment consultants can help you with placing an appropriate type and volume of keywords into a job description that will allow maximum SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). This ensures that your job description will reach the maximum number of relevant candidates. For example, incorporating terms like ‘’Quantity Surveyor jobs’’ and ‘’Construction consultant jobs’’.
Be Inclusive and Welcoming
Consider using inclusive language and including a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) statement in your construction job advert can help you attract a wider and more diverse pool of talent. 45% of candidates believe including a D&I statement on job ads is extremely important, highlighting the employer’s commitment to creating an inclusive work environment and promoting equity and fairness.
Conclusion
In summary, a job description is the heart of the entire recruitment process. It ensures that candidates, recruiters and construction employer’s understanding of the roles are aligned, in turn improving the chances of a good match. By investing time in preparing a good and detailed job description, you can enhance your chances of attracting and hiring high-calibre professionals into your construction team.
Maxim Recruitment team can provide help with writing job descriptions and finding suitable talent for your construction organisation. Please feel free to get in touch to find out more.
Daria is a Senior Recruitment Consultant with day-to-day responsibility for researching, shortlisting, contacting, and interviewing premium construction industry candidates. Daria works with our UK team to help construction industry jobseekers into exciting new construction jobs with our market leading employer clients. Daria also covers the Canadian market as part of her international recruitment responsibilities. Her focus is on Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and other major cities in Canada.