Five things to include in your job description
From Darin J. Dorsey (he/him), VP of Outreach & Engagement at Meso Solutions
Putting together a job description that attracts exceptional candidates can be a challenge. In just one page, we need to accomplish several things, including, but not limited to: describing the position and organization, listing the necessary qualifications, and providing information on compensation and benefits.
Too often, we see job descriptions that have too much information — or too little information. At Meso Solutions, we’ve written dozens of job descriptions and have learned what employers should and should not include. Here are five things you should include in every job description.
1. Salary and benefits
There is no valid reason not to list salary information upfront. The opacity of salaries was established as part of corporate structures to ensure that employers held out the power in salary discussions. However, this is not only antithetical to progressive values; it’s also a waste of time. Sharing salary information saves time that organizations would spend interviewing people whose salary needs do not match the position they are applying for. Additionally, withholding salary range reinforces racial and gender inequities, which is why some states have passed laws that require employers to share salary information in job descriptions.
It’s important to provide a clear salary level, including a brief description of the benefits offered. You don’t need to include the entire benefits package — applicants are often just looking to see whether or not the position includes health benefits, paid time off, and/or retirement benefits.
2. Responsibilities
You should also include information that will allow applicants to envision what they’ll be doing in the position. For example, if you expect the future employee to contribute to a newsletter that someone in another role manages, that’s probably helpful to include. If the position is part of a leadership team that meets weekly to make collective management decisions, candidates should know before applying. Will they be working with external partners or involved in identifying potential vendors? If so, include this information. Providing clear information on what the job entails helps in building transparency from the beginning and will help to create a more trusting work environment.
Providing an example of a typical day in the position or describing projects candidates will take on during the first few months on the job can help candidates understand the role more clearly. You can also create categories and assign percentages to each category to represent how someone will spend their time in the position, and then list specific responsibilities under each category. This gives candidates a good idea of what they will be doing and how their time and responsibilities will be divided.
3. Skills and experience
Most job descriptions include this information; however, it’s common for organizations to deem skills and knowledge that candidates can develop on the job as “requirements.” Avoid creating a long list of skills or experience needed, and instead think critically about what is necessary on day one and what is “nice to have.” For example, if your organization uses NGP VAN, it is probably more appropriate to seek candidates who have experience using similar voter mobilization software than asking for experience with a particular technology provider. It might be “nice to have” candidates with NGP VAN experience, but it likely isn’t necessary to be successful in the position.
We know from research that women are less likely than men to apply for jobs when they don’t meet every qualification, and men are more inclined to apply for positions with increased seniority. To avoid reinforcing these disparities, it’s important for organizations to think critically about what skills are really necessary for candidates to have immediately and what skills they can learn on the job.
In general, we discourage employers from using years of experience as criteria for evaluating applicants. While it may be helpful to get a sense of whether or not a candidate has previous experience, the amount of time in years is an unreliable indicator of expertise. In progressive organizations, for example, the work can be extremely fast-paced and demanding, and it’s common for people to gain advanced skills in a short amount of time.
4. Logistical information: location, work schedule, and other requirements
This information might narrow your applicant pool quite a bit, which is a great way to ensure that your organization’s valuable time goes towards interviewing applicants who will be able to take the position if offered. Is the position remote? Include that information. If the role could be remote for the “right candidate,” add this so that you’re not excluding someone who could be the perfect fit. If travel is involved, include how often they will be traveling and how far (statewide, domestic, international).
Be sure to tell job seekers how to apply, when to apply by, and include general information about the application process. Applicants should also be informed how they can request accommodations throughout the application process.
Given the inequities related to criminalization in America, it’s crucial to think twice before requiring a background check. If a background check is an absolute requirement, we encourage organizations to review them on a case-by-case basis and provide overall leniency to applicants with non-violent offenses.
5. Description of the organization
Applicants need a baseline understanding of the organization and its work to make an informed decision on whether or not to apply. This includes a brief history of the organization, some key accomplishments, and its mission and/or vision. You should include your organization’s work style: Is there an emphasis on flexibility? What is the overall pace of work? And, of course, link back to your website so applicants can read more about you.
If you stick to this list, you should be well on your way to creating a comprehensive and equitable job description! However, before you go ahead and post it, be sure that multiple people review the job description and provide feedback. It’s difficult to capture an entire job within a one- to two-page description. Having extra sets of eyes can ensure that nothing is missing or over-emphasized.
Writing a job description is just the beginning of your hiring journey, so be sure to stay tuned to the Meso blog for additional articles that will prepare your organization to implement effective and inclusive hiring processes.