The Idealist.org guide to Writing Effective Job Postings
HR Focus Areas | Employee Management | Recruitment
The Idealist.org Guide to Writing Effective Job Postings:
Attract the best pool of highly-qualified applicants!
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Introduce your organization by briefly outlining your mission and some of your successes. Describe how the position you are looking to fill fits into your organization’s plan for progress.
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Use active words and phrases that will be enticing to job seekers, while still covering the basics including job duties, qualifications, and contact information. (“E.G. TEACH young leaders new skills”)
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Be realistic when asking that someone demonstrate “a passion” for your organization’s cause. It may be intimidating to applicants who might otherwise be well-qualified and often the “passion” grows with time as a new employee learns more about the issue your organization is addressing.
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Be specific in describing skills you desire in a candidate. Instead of asking for 2 years of fundraising experience, require that a candidate be comfortable soliciting donations over the phone, presenting in front of large groups, or with other particular aspects of the job.
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Have reasonable expectations and be mindful when creating a list of desired characteristics. Be clear about your priorities so that you don’t discourage people from applying. (For instance, if there will be considerable travel involved in the position, be sure to note that as of high-importance.)
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Be truthful with job seekers about things like degree of responsibility, independence, or supervisory duties. Sometimes recruiters have a tendency to exaggerate in hopes of attracting better applicants, but this may serve to disappoint employees down the line, which can create a high turnover situation.
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Include an appealing description of the region where your organization is located in order to attract candidates from other areas who may be willing to move.
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Encourage applicants to share your job posting with others who they think may be interested in applying, and if possible, promise that every submission will receive a reply.
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Consider including a few specific questions for applicants to respond to in lieu of a traditional cover letter. Asking questions will help reduce half-hearted submissions, and will give you a specific way to compare potential candidates.
Feel free to contact Jillian Glazer (Nonprofit Staffing Coordinator) with questions...
E-mail: jillian@idealist.org or phone 503-227-0803 x105
