We’ve written a check-list of what all great jobs descriptions should include. If there’s one tip that will help throughout this section, it’s the first rule of good marketing: always say what the other companies can’t.
Don’t describe a job – sell it
This is always hard. However, our first advice is to scrap the internal job description.
Job descriptions have traditionally been exactly that – a description. They’re used within a company so that everyone understands what each role does. Or, more cynically, so the business can approve the budget for a hire.
This is absolutely fine when they’re being used in that context. However, there are a number of issues when these documents are used for recruitment! They are often rather hard to understand, with lots of internal company jargon and acronyms. They also miss the simple stuff – what the company does; who the team report to; who’s in the team etc.
The recruitment marketplace is like any other – you need to market your product according to what your customer wants to see. This isn’t hard – every company knows how to sell itself. It’s just ensuring all the basics are there. As such, we’ve produced a check-list that every great job description should have.
The must-have’s of any great job description
The hook:
What: One sentence that sells the role.
How: Say what others can’t. For start-ups, this is usually how much funding you’ve got, or who your backers are. For corporates, this is growth figures or an idea of how many people use your product.
The sell story
What: A paragraph to elaborate, and further explain, the “hook”. It should also explain why the role is great for ex-consultants.
How: Use the “hook” as an initial prompt – elaborate on each point you made there with a couple of sentences. In startups, talk about funding and traction (e.g., number of users; growth etc.). With corporates, this is the chance to explain why this role is so exciting – if you’ve sold them on P&L ownership, explain how they are going to have real responsibility to make a change. There should always be a few sentences at the end about progression and development: consultants are driven and will want to understand what this role will hold for them over the next few years. Don’t forget, the most common things consultants are looking for are ownership and being able to make a change.
The company
What: A couple of paragraphs explaining what the company does and why it’s great. How: This is the easy bit. Your company has sold itself (or it’s product) to countless customers. Use a consumer-focused explanation of what makes your company, service or product great. If the company is growing fast, shout about it; mention a few recent accolades. If not, paint the picture on why this is going to be an exciting transformation that people will talk about for years.
The team/company culture
What: The most important part of any job is the team you work with. However, this is the section that is most often missing! A simple description of the team, who they report to and in particular any similar backgrounds (i.e., consulting alumni). How: Describe who’s in the team currently, and what the purpose of the team/ role is to the business. It’s always helpful to understand who leads the team, who they report to (i.e., reporting into CEO) and their background (e.g., led by ex-BCG partner). It’s always worth highlighting any consulting alumni in the team – these are brands consultants will understand! Finally, don’t forget to describe your culture: what sets you apart (i.e., analytics-driven; Nando’s lunch every Friday!)
The job
What: A further description of the purpose of the role in the business, and an idea of what they’ll actually be doing. How: A short paragraph to explain the background to the role. Don’t forget, you’re marketing the role – so explain what’s great (especially for an ex-consultant). We then suggest a bullet point list of 4-6 things that the job is responsible for. Any more is too much detail; too few won’t give an accurate picture of what is involved.
The requirements
What: The non-negotiable elements that all candidates must have to apply for the role. How: Be clear on what the candidates need to have, to apply for the role. We normally suggest not to be too prescriptive, but to be very clear on what you can’t negotiate on: it sometimes helps to split the list into required and useful.
The practicalities
What: Salary banding for the role; whether you can sponsor applicants How: When you’re a candidate looking at a number of jobs, they all look rather similar. As such, deciphering whether you’re the right level of seniority or whether they’d be interested in you, is extremely hard. Using simple things like salary bandings make a huge difference in the quality of applications you are likely to receive. So we strongly advocate putting a range down – this is non-committal and broad; it just helps to give an idea to potential candidates of who you’re pitching the role at. We have also found the ability to sponsor candidates, greatly widens your potential pool of talent – the process is very simple, so if you’re focused on getting the best, make sure you check with HR if you can sponsor applicants!
By adding a salary range to your role, candidates can accurately determine if the role is a genuine “fit” for them. Something that is increasingly hard given job title inflation. This helps to overcome the “it’s probably not for me” psyche, as well as reducing inappropriate applications.
The team at movemeon goes through every job posted and offers detailed feedback based on above. We realise someone with fresh, independent eyes, can often help in their curation! It’s all part of the service… so why not post today.
We had the pleasure to co-organise a roundtable breakfast discussion with Learnitect. The topic for the day – “Winning the War for Talent – Recruiting and Empowering Top Performers” – was addressed from the L&D point of view by Learnitect and from the recruiting point of view by our co-founder Nick Patterson.
So, how can you attract top talent into your organisation?
1. Understanding needs
Get as much data as you can. Also, use the resources in front of you: what does the hiring manager think. The “needs” are often not “more money”, but instead more soft factors like “room for personal impact” etc.
2. Articulate the selling story
Job descriptions are typically describing a role in a company, not selling it. Remove unnecessary detail; ensure the company, team and role are being sold; draw out some clear selling points based on the needs of the talent
3. Reach the right audience
It’s critical your channel is reaching the right people. Trial different channels and test the effectiveness of each: record hiring metrics like role description views, number of screening calls. This also gives hiring managers the confidence that they are seeing the best people
4. Focus on the profile, not the experience
Effective assessment requires a clear understanding of the intrinsics you want to attract, and a way to assess these. The first step is understanding the intrinsic skills you’re looking for: this is very different to experience.
5. Take a long-term view
Assess what you want this person to become, not what they need to be at the start. Interviews are notoriously bad at selection (some studies site below 50% effectiveness). It’s critical the right people are interviewing (i.e., founders might not be the best) and people are trained in interviewing
6. Get people “bought-in” during the interview process
Case studies allow people to understand the potential impact and excitement of the role. Coaching people during the interview process can make it clear that you value professional development. Have a buddy system – assign each offeree, someone, the moment they receive the offer, who will partner them and welcome them to the company
Ellie, Head of Community at Heist, was kind enough to give us an insight into what it takes to work at the rapidly growing consumer startup.
Heist launched in 2015 on a mission to disrupt the women’s underwear market, starting with tights. Their innovative design has gained industry acclaim, with Sunday Times Style naming them an “unequivocal winner” in their luxury tights test, and Vogue claiming “Heist lives up to the hype”.
Heist has experienced 30% month-on-month growth since inception, grabbing the attention of investors 14W, Imaginary, Jamjar and Pembroke VCT, among others, and has quickly built a worldwide community of fans, selling a pair of tights every 15 seconds on a busy day.
Ellie runs all non-paid marketing at Heist and has been relishing the challenge since she joined the company in April.
1. Could you tell me a bit about Heist and what its mission and goals are?
At Heist, we believe underwear can be an instrument of progress. While many categories understand the consumer’s desire for autonomy, choice and freedom, women’s underwear has lagged behind. Effectively, all women are living in underwear inadequate to their time.
When you look at the existing product offering, you have “practical” brands and then you have “sexy” brands. But there’s been no innovation to speak of for many years, and women are left choosing between the two.
Heist asks: why can’t you have products that perform like activewear, but that are aesthetically pleasing? So, we’re on a mission to innovate in product to build the underwear brand of the future, a brand that fosters female progress, rather than forcing customers into categories.
We’ve had a successful start with tights, and now we’re working on new product lines, which we’re really excited about.
2. What challenges did you face in the process of making Heist a well-known & highly successful brand?
Apparel is a crowded industry, so cutting through the noise means telling the brand story in a really clear and engaging way.
Since we’re a mission-driven company, we’re not afraid of sharing our worldview, and this has got people’s attention. A good example was our controversial TFL ad with a ballet dancer on the tube. The story captured exactly what we’re about, and ended up being printed on page 6 of the Evening Standard.
3. What opportunities do you see in Heist’s future?
Firstly, breakthrough products. We believe that radical innovation in underwear design can ensure that every woman, every day, is living in underwear that allows her to progress in the way that she demands in every other area of her life. That’s why our designs are built on an understanding of how bodies move, not just how they look.
This approach led us to reimagine the most mundane wardrobe staple, a pair of tights, into a product that redefines superiority in comfort and fit for every female body. We’re now using polymer physics, computational engineering models and 3D knitwear to reinvent shapewear. Next, we’ll be taking our design ethos to make a bra that actually fits. (Finally!)
Secondly, new markets – we’ve seen super-fast growth in the US, for example, and we’re really excited about capitalising on this.
4. Could you tell me a bit about the team and culture of Heist and what you think is important in this regard?
We have an incredibly diverse team – we’re diverse with respect to gender, nationality, language, qualifications, full-time/part-time – and this really enhances our capabilities. And we’re not fashion insiders, the team come from consulting, banking, performing arts, welfare, tech, and direct from university.
What this means is that we’re hypothesis-driven and look to test – and learn from – absolutely everything. I came from consulting and I can’t express how much I’ve learnt and grown since working with the team at Heist.
Heist’s company culture is very meritocratic – everyone is given a lot of autonomy but is expected to take responsibility and really drive their remit forward. We’re moving incredibly quickly, and for someone who really wants to get stuck in, Heist presents an amazing opportunity.
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