How to Write a Job Description That Attracts the Right Candidates: 9 Rules

Candidates look for roles using the words they use for their own job. A title such as "Customer Happiness Ninja" or an internal grade code means nothing to them, and it will not match how job boards and search engines categorise the role. Use the plain, market-standard title, add seniority where it matters (for example, Senior, Lead or Head of), and keep any internal level for your HR system.

If the role is unusual, put the common title first and the specialism second, such as "Maintenance Technician (HVAC)" or "Housekeeping Supervisor, 5-star resort".

The first few lines decide whether someone keeps reading. In two or three sentences, say what the person will do, who they will work with and why the role exists now: a new site, a growing team, a replacement or a new capability. Skip the generic paragraph about your company's passion and save the company story for a short section further down.

A good test: could a candidate explain the job to a friend after reading only the summary? If not, rewrite it.

Where the job is based, whether it is permanent, fixed-term or seasonal, the working pattern and the pay range are the details candidates care about most, and leaving them out costs you applicants. Shift work, weekend rotas, travel, on-site accommodation or relocation support should all be stated up front.

Pay transparency rules are tightening in several markets, including the EU Pay Transparency Directive, so check what applies to your locations. Even where it is not required, a realistic range saves time on both sides and filters out people whose expectations are far from your budget.

A list of tasks tells candidates what they will do. A short list of outcomes tells them what good looks like. Pair the main responsibilities with what success means after six or twelve months, for example "run the night shift with no unplanned stoppages", "open the new outlet's kitchen and train the team" or "close the monthly accounts within the group deadline".

Outcomes also help interviewers. They give a clear standard to ask about, which makes structured interviews and reference checks far easier to run.

This is the single most useful change most companies can make. Limit true must-haves to the few requirements without which the person genuinely cannot do the job: a licence, a trade certificate, a language level, a type of experience. Put everything else under a separate heading of preferred or bonus skills.

Long requirement lists put off capable candidates who meet most but not all points, and they give recruiters no way to prioritise. A short must-have list is also easier to verify, because each item can be tested, documented or checked.

Use short sentences, everyday words and "you" rather than "the candidate". Remove internal acronyms, and avoid wording that signals a narrow profile, such as age-coded phrases or unnecessary physical requirements. Where a physical requirement is real, for instance lifting, working at height or standing for a full shift, state it plainly so people can judge for themselves.

If you hire internationally, remember that many applicants read in a second language. Clear, literal wording travels better than idioms, and it reduces the risk of misunderstandings about the job before anyone arrives.

Tell candidates what happens after they apply: how many stages, whether there is a skills test or trade test, who they will meet and roughly when you plan to decide. People are more likely to apply, and to stay engaged, when they know what to expect.

For roles that involve work permits or relocation, say so honestly. Note that permit decisions sit with the authorities, and avoid promising start dates you do not control.

Every must-have in the job description should translate into a screening question, a test or a document you can check. If you require a forklift licence, say which one. If you need conversational English, say how it will be assessed. If experience in a hotel of a certain standard matters, say so.

This is what turns a job advert into a brief an agency can hire against. At ISHC, the first of our seven inspectable steps is locking the occupation, site and corridor with you, and the quality of that brief shapes everything that follows: sourcing, screening, interviews and the document file for each candidate. A brief with clear, testable requirements produces a shortlist you can trust.

Job descriptions go stale. Before reposting a role, ask the current team or the last person in the job what has changed. Track which adverts bring in suitable applicants and which do not, and adjust the wording that is not working.

Over time, build a library of approved templates for your common roles, each with a fixed must-have list, salary band and process outline. Managers can tailor them, but they start from a standard HR has checked, which keeps quality and compliance consistent across sites and countries.