Summary. A job posting should describe the job in a more engaging and enticing way than the job description. The posting will give a potential candidate more information about the company, what benefits are offered, and what the company culture is like.
Writing a job posting can be difficult, especially in today’s highly competitive market. Not only that, but employers are looking for more than just people to put in seats; they want people who fit with the company culture and who are looking to stay and grow. That puts a lot of pressure on the job posting, so let’s break it down and look at how to write a job posting. We’ve even got a template at the end for you.
Key Takeaways:
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A job posting should include:
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Job title
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Job summary
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Responsibilities and duties
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Qualifications and skills
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Benefits and compensation
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Try to figure out who the idea candidate would be for the position because it will help you get an idea who you want to hire.
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Having a well-written job description will grab the attention of the best candidates.
Five Parts of a Job Posting
Most job postings contain at least five parts to get across all of the important information. They might be called a few different names or titled differently, but the intent is to convey the following information.
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Job Title
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Job Summary
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Responsibilities/Duties
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Qualifications/Skills
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Benefits/Compensation
If you can hit those five main areas and do a good job of explaining them in an appealing way, you’re doing well.
Job Posting Template
The following template is meant to be an example that you can use and turn into a template. Obviously, you’re going to have different positions open, different benefits, and a different culture. You may also find that, depending on where you post the job, there are already templates available, so you won’t have to come up with your own.
Hiring for Cashier and Beyond at Yum Taco
Who We Are
Yum Taco is the world’s newest fast food Tex-Mex restaurant, and we’re growing by leaps and bounds. We have a strong team dynamic and are looking to promote from within. That means we’re looking for people who are willing to start working as a cashier today with dreams of becoming a manager in the future.
Where We Are
Yum Taco is currently in seven states and expanding. Right now, we’re looking for employees in Madison, Wisconsin. This is an on-location assignment, and we have openings on both the west and east sides of town.
What The Job Is
As a cashier at Yum Taco, you’ll be responsible for some of the following tasks:
Taking orders
Entering orders into the computer/cash register
Filling drink orders
Providing customers with good service and a friendly and helpful attitude
Handing completed orders to customers
Taking payments and making change
There may be other duties you’ll be asked to do when the store is extremely busy or very slow, but these will be your primary tasks.
Who You Are
At Yum Taco, we put our team first, which is why we’re looking to hire only individuals who are willing to be team players. We want energetic people who want to learn everything they can about the business and turn it into a career. There’s no limit to where our employees can go if they’re willing to prove themselves and be a leader at Yum Taco.
What We Offer
Our benefits package begins with a standard set of benefits that include the following. As you continue with our team, there are added benefits, including more paid days off, vacation stipends, paid health club memberships, and more. At a starting level, you’ll receive:
Minimum wage
One-week paid vacation
Health care package with Brand X Medical
Vision and Dental benefits option
401K matching program
Management training classes (optional)
Educational training reimbursement (for approved classes)
Ten paid holidays each year
Five days of paid sick or personal time per year that can be rolled over
Skills
We’re looking for individuals with drive, an ability to work in a team, and great communication skills. We can train you to manage the cash register, but experience running a register is definitely a bonus.
All applicants are asked to come to our hiring event on August 3, 2022, at 7 pm. However, if you cannot make the hiring event, email Sharon@YumTaco.com and request an application link.
What Is a Job Posting?
Think of the job posting as an advertisement for a position in the company. It needs to have the same amount of thought and attention to detail as any advertisement the company puts out there. Unfortunately, the job posting is too often an afterthought and written without a lot of input or review.
This is a big mistake and can easily lead to getting flooded with too many applicants while missing the best candidates. A great job posting is not one that earns many applications; it’s one that finds the right individual for the company.
Job Description vs. Job Posting
The first thing to understand when you’re crafting a job posting is that it’s not the same as a job description. You can go on any job board today, and without much effort, you’ll find a posting that’s actually a description of the job.
Yes, a job posting should explain what the job is and what the duties of the individual will be, but there’s more to it than that. A job description is actually an internal document that explains what the duties of the job are. That’s definitely an important part of a job posting, but that’s where the job description ends; the job posting needs to do more.
The job posting describes the job in a more engaging and enticing way than the description. It also picks up and gives the reader more information about the company, its benefits, and its culture. It’s a snapshot of the experience of working for the company. And it’s explained in a way that’s appealing and has an element of marketing and sales.
Steps for Writing a Job Posting
The are several steps involved in writing a job posting that involves understanding the individual the company wants in the position. It’s best to start out jotting down notes rather than trying to create complete paragraphs or write the entire job posting in one shot. These steps can help you better understand the process and write successful job postings.
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What is the job? This involves more than pulling out an old job description and using that as the answer. The position that’s going to be open might not be the same as the old position or the description. Did the previous employee evolve the job in a way that’s not captured in the description, or does management want someone who can do more?
Redefining the job might be a part of this step, and it will likely require input from other team members so it can be an accurate representation of what the person will be doing.
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Who is the ideal candidate? Go ahead, dream a little. What are the qualities that people would find most beneficial from the perfect hire? You might not get all of these qualities, but this exercise gets everyone thinking about what really matters for that person to be successful in the role and in the company.
This part might never go into the job posting, or just some basic points of it will, but it’s an important step in the process because it pushes everyone to picture who they’d really like to hire.
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What does the company offer? This is where you’re going to need to sell the benefits and sway the right candidate for your company. Pay and benefits are important, obviously the most important thing to many, but there’s more.
Does your company have special perks, an interesting atmosphere, the potential to move up, and a collaborative or work-from-home environment? Explain it to your best ability because the more the candidate knows, the more informed they will be.
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The basics. Don’t forget the most obvious parts of your job posting, the company name, address, location of the job, contact information, hours of work, and how you want to receive their application. There might be additional requirements like a portfolio, references, and other key data for the position – make sure to detail all of that.
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Pull it together. If you were taking notes as you did the above steps, then this is when they’ll come into play. Start pulling it together into an easy-to-read format. Feel free to use bullets if that makes your posting a standout; maybe some graphics or charts are your way to shine; how about actual images of your company?
A well-written and visually appealing job description is a great way to get attention and get the right people to take notice. Involving the marketing department (if there is one) is a fantastic idea because their spin can be the touch that’s needed.
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PROOF. The number of grammatical and spelling errors that slip through is astounding, and it reflects poorly on the company.
Your brand certainly wouldn’t stand for an advertisement that spelled something incorrectly, and this type of error shouldn’t pass through a job posting either. Remember, you’re trying to sell your company to your next new rockstar employee.
Job Posting FAQ
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Should you write a job posting or job description first?
You should write a job description before the job posting. The reason for writing a job description before the posting is to make sure that everyone on the team is on the same page with what they want from the new employee. It’s not uncommon for job descriptions to change over time or for a company to want different skills from a new hire.
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Are more job applications better?
No, more job applications and responses to a job posting are not better. Sometimes, more job applicants can be even worse because you’re wading through unqualified individuals who wouldn’t be a fit in your company. The best job posting speaks to the ideal candidate(s) and doesn’t waste your time with bad options.
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How do I write a job posting template?
The tips above will help you craft a job posting template. One thing you’ll want to remember when you’re writing a job posting is that the outlet you’re using to post it might have a template. If this is the situation, you’ll want to focus on hitting the five key sections of a job posting:
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Job Title
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Job Summary
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Responsibilities/Duties
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Qualifications/Skills
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Benefits/Compensation
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How do you create an effective job posting?
Creating an effective job posting takes work, plenty of input from others, and a sales mindset. The best job postings make the job sound appealing while being honest about what’s expected and what compensation will be. When there’s a high level of transparency, there are fewer misunderstandings, and you’re more likely to find someone who is a good fit for the job.
References
- Writing A Job Description
- How to Write a Job Description
- Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
- DOE Salary
- Job Posting Template
- How to Write a Job Description
- How to Write a Candidate Profile
- How to Write a Job Ad
- How to Post a Job
- Writing a Company Description
- Free Ways to Post Jobs
- How To Write A Compelling Job Description
- How To Tweak Job Descriptions For Better Talent
- Why You Shouldn't Misrepresent The Job
- Common Mistakes In Job Descriptions
- How To Qualify A Job Brief
- What Is A Job Description?
- Application Questions To Find The Right Candidate
- How To Make An Application Form
- Roles and Responsibilities Template
Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience. Author
Kristin Kizer
Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.
