The worst way to start a job description

In the next five years, unemployment rates will be negative in real terms.¹. Your startup is only as good as its people, so hiring is critical.

That’s why I die a little inside when I read a job posting that starts with obviously copied-and-pasted “About Us” text with flowery marketing terms.

Leaders and entrepreneurs — please do not copy and paste your generic company description on top of your job spec’s!

Attention spans are precious and you only have a few seconds to impress candidates. Don’t waste those seconds talking about yourself.

Instead, answer their burning question. “What’s in it for me?” Talk about the opportunity and what they’ll gain from it. (You want ambitious people, right?)

I went ahead and made a Google Doc with a few examples of job description intro's I wrote in the past to help inspire you.

Bonus

Also, I suggest ending your description with a bullet-list about what’s in it for them. Something like “Apply because you want to…”

• Work with bright curious people

• Be fully remote

• Work with a diverse team

• Be challenged to learn and grow

• Travel the world

• Or whatever else your company culture offers...

More on Hiring Top Talent

If hiring top talent is a priority for you, you may also want to check out my eleven previous posts about hiring & leadership including:

• Growth mindset interview questions

• Deciding which role to hire next

• Specific conversations to cultivate a growth mindset

¹. According to this recent interview with investor Jeremy Grantham.