Write job descriptions to attract the best candidates

Write job descriptions to attract the best candidates There’s a definite art to crafting application materials, like your resume or cover letter. But think about the flip side of that equation. What about when you’re the recruiter or HR person in charge of writing the job description that will bring in all the best candidates? If you’ve ever seen those job descriptions that are so full of jargon that no one understands what the job is, or the job description that is so long and detailed that maybe one person out of a thousand would feel qualified enough to apply, you know that there’s a balance needed.As a hiring professional, you know that if you want to fill a position well, you have to get the best possible candidates to apply (or you’ll find yourself staring down this same job description a few months from now). So how do you write a solid job description that will attract the right people? Let’s look at some writing tips and strategies.Skip the buzzwords.When you see buzzwords or other lang uage that’s clearly trying to cater to a young, hip, start-up-style crowd, it can come off as more like a parent trying to sound cool. And no one (especially the uncool parent) wants to be seen that way. It feels awkward to read a job description looking for a â€Å"code ninja† or â€Å"marketing superstar.† Remember: people are coming to your job description because they’re looking for an opportunity. You don’t have to be flashy to get attention. It’s better to focus on providing a clear, accurate job description than trying to sound edgy or innovative.Ditching the buzzwords can also help your searchability factor. Job seekers aren’t searching for terms like â€Å"guru† or â€Å"rockstar.† They’re searching for â€Å"specialist† or â€Å"supervisor.† And if your job description isn’t coming up in keyword searches, you’ll risk losing out on potentially great candidates who are searching for more targeted terms. Accurate information is more important than charm here.Be detailed.You may think it’s obvious what a Data Analyst does, and that people searching for jobs in this area probably have at least a passing idea. But you don’t want to take for granted that potential applicants will magically know what the job entails. It’s important to give a clear, detailed synopsis of the work involved in this role. A detailed job description should include:hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});A specific job title. This may seem like a no-brainer, but the job title is going to set the tone for both the job description and the kinds of applicants you get. If you just say â€Å"coordinator,† you could get a whole range of people who may or may not be suited for the open role. If you say â€Å"data analysis coordinator,† you get a winnowed-down pool of applicants looking specifically for that kind of job.A general o verview of the role. How does this job fit in with the organization? Are there direct reports? Who will this person be reporting to themselves? No personal details, of course, but this quick one- or two- sentence overview would let the reader know that, say, the marketing coordinator position reports to the VP of marketing, or that the coordinator is responsible for managing interns.The day-to-day responsibilities of the job. You don’t need to provide a minute-by-minute breakdown, of course, but you can choose some highlights that cover the most important aspects of the job. If you know percentages, those are great to include here. (For example: 50% client service, 40% business development, 10% sales analysis.) By including this information, candidates know what to expect and are better able to match up their own skills and experience before applying.A salary range. This one isn’t necessary, but it can help avoid wasted time with candidates who are qualified but are se eking a higher salary. It can also set reasonable expectations, if an entry-level employee is somehow thinking about executive-level compensation.Desired level of experience. If you’re hiring someone for a mid-career role, it’s important to note that a certain level of experience is necessary. If it’s more of an entry-level role, specify that as well. This can help weed out applicants that are either overqualified or under-qualified for the job.Benefits  and perks. Part of attracting candidates is showing what your company offers outside of the day-to-day work. A general overview of the benefits an employee could expect is a good way to flesh out a job description. For example, types of insurance offered, HSA savings plans, retirement savings, flexible hours, education reimbursement. A quick benefit list (nothing too detailed) is a way to add some quick selling points to the job description. Phrases like â€Å"competitive benefits† are not very useful; they don’t tell the reader anything, and don’t showcase what your company has to offer candidates.Use strong action words.Like in a resume, you want to keep the reader’s interest. Keywords are not only important in online and database searches, but also for regular readers as well. By nature, we look for words that stand out, and help us scan effectively. Just like your own eyes would glaze over at the fifth use of â€Å"responsibilities† on an applicant resume, a job seeker would similarly tune out the word used multiple times in a job listing as well. For example, a word like â€Å"oversee† or â€Å"administer† may stand out better than â€Å"manage.†Find the right length.Somewhere between 700 and 1,200 words is the sweet spot for job descriptions. It’s substantive enough that potential applicants are likely to understand the most important tasks and qualifications, but shorter than Moby Dick.Focus on where the company is goi ng.Is your company award-winning? That’s great. But if you give a laundry list of all the great things your company has done in the past, it can be hard for a job seeker to relate. Credentials are impressive, but your job description should also give a sense of what the company is hoping to accomplish with this role or in general. If your company values creativity and innovation, emphasize that. If there’s a mission statement, include that in your job description. If you want the best applicants to see themselves joining your team, you have to let them in on (the general version of) your vision and goals.Be realistic.This might be the most important part of crafting an effective job description. And it’s most applicable if this is a new position. Ask yourself: is this job realistic for one person? Or is it more like several jobs merged into one? You may think that the role should only be filled by someone who’s trilingual, with a Ph.D. in modern dance and 10 years’ experience in office management, but†¦how many of those people are a) out there; and b) likely to come across your job posting? If you have some wiggle room on the qualifications, try not to be so specific. A reality check can be as easy as having the job description reviewed by someone who’s already done the job, or people who will be working directly with the new person.There’s no great mystery to writing a job description that will attract the people you’d want to hire for the position. When you offer clearly presented details, combined with company highlights, you’re targeting your job description effectively. There’s no guarantee that the perfect applicant will walk through the door, but when you put care and a good amount of careful editing into the job description, you’re helping to ensure that you’ll get some high quality interest.

Characteristics of Psychopathic Personalities

Characteristics of Psychopathic Personalities Psychopaths are incapable of feeling guilt, remorse, or empathy for their actions or the objects of their actions. They are generally cunning and manipulative. They know the difference between right and wrong but dont believe the rules apply to them. First Encounter With a Psychopath On first impression, psychopaths generally appear charming, engaged, caring, friendly, logical, and reasonable, with well thought-out goals. They give the impression that they can reason, that they know the consequences for antisocial and unlawful behavior and will  react appropriately. They appear capable of self-examination and will criticize  themselves for mistakes. Under clinical evaluation, psychopaths dont show  common symptoms associated with neurotic behavior: nervousness, high anxiety, hysteria, mood swings,  extreme fatigue, and headaches. In situations that most normal people would find upsetting, psychopaths appear calm and void of fear and anxiety. An About-Face Initially,  psychopaths appear  reliable, devoted, and trustworthy, but, suddenly and without provocation, become unreliable, with no regard for how their actions affect the situation, regardless of its importance. Once viewed as honest and sincere, they do a sudden about-face and begin lying without concern, even in small matters when there is no benefit in lying. Because psychopaths have mastered the art of deception, those around them are slow to accept the abrupt change. When psychopaths are confronted with their lack of responsibility, honesty or loyalty, it generally has no impact on their attitude or future performance. They are unable to perceive that other people value  truthfulness and integrity. Cant Accept Responsibility for Failure Psychopaths turn into performers who can mimic normal human emotions that they have never felt. This holds true when theyre faced with failure. If they appear to be humble and own up to their mistakes, their true goal is to be perceived as the martyr or sacrificial lamb willing to accept blame so others dont have to. If the ploy fails and they are blamed, they will emphatically deny any responsibility and, without feeling shame, turn to lies, manipulation, and finger-pointing. When psychopaths cant convince others that they are innocent, they fume and obsess over it, often murmuring sarcastic comments and plotting revenge. Risky  Behavior With No Gain Antisocial behavior- cheating, lying, robbing, stealing, agitating, fighting, committing adultery, killing- appeals to psychopaths, whether or not they reap any rewards.  They appear drawn to high-risk antisocial behavior that has no apparent goal. Some experts theorize that psychopaths like to put themselves into dangerous situations because of the  adrenaline rush they experience. Because psychopaths generally dont feel many emotions that normal people do, any extreme sensation feels good. Others believe that they do it to reinforce their sense of superiority and to prove that they are smarter than everyone, including the police. Horrible Judgment Although psychopaths are logical thinkers and view themselves as highly intelligent, they consistently exhibit bad judgment. Faced with two paths, one to gold and the other to ashes, the psychopath will take the latter. Because psychopaths cant learn from their experiences, they are prone to taking the same path again and again. Egocentric and Unable to Love Psychopaths are highly egomaniacal, to the point that a  normal person has difficulty comprehending it. Their  self-centeredness  is so deeply rooted that it renders them incapable of loving others, including parents, spouses, and their own children. The only time psychopaths show an ordinary response to kindness or special treatment by others is when it can be used to their advantage. For example,  a psychopathic father still loved by his children despite the deep  suffering he has caused them  may put on a show of appreciation so that they continue to put money into his prison account or pay his legal fees. Conventional Treatment Empowers Psychopaths Most studies indicate that there are no conventional methods to cure psychopathic behavior. When conventional methods have been used, psychopaths become empowered  and react by improving their cunning, manipulative methods and their ability to conceal their true personality, even from trained eyes. Difference Between Psychopaths and Sociopaths Psychopaths and sociopaths share a diagnosis as having antisocial personality disorder and similar traits, but there are significant differences. Psychopaths are more deceptive and manipulative and maintain more control over their outward personas. They are able to lead what appear to be normal lives, sometimes throughout their lifetime. When psychopaths become criminals they believe they are smarter than the average person and invincible. Sociopaths often let their inner rage surface with violent episodes, verbally and physically. They become reckless and spontaneous and have little control over what they say or how they act. Because they are impulse driven, they rarely consider the consequences of their actions. It is difficult for sociopaths to live normal lives, and because of their imprudence many of them drop out of school, cant hold jobs, turn to crime, and end up in prison. Which Is More Dangerous? Sociopaths have a difficult time hiding their disorder, while psychopaths pride themselves on their manipulative abilities. Psychopaths are masters of disassociation and less likely to feel guilt or remorse for their actions or for the pain that they cause others. Because of this, psychopaths are considered to be more dangerous than sociopaths. Source:  The Mask of Sanity,  by  Hervey M. Cleckley