Yes, there are fewer jobs and lots of unemployed people, but that does not mean you want to hire just anybody. You want the right people to find your job posting, but just putting random descriptions out there will only bring all the wrong people knocking.
If your job postings are not getting the right talent, then the problem might be you. Most companies write job descriptions as if they’re ticking boxes, rather than casting a vision. Your job posts should not read like legal disclaimers but like invitations.
The reason why your job descriptions don’t bring in the required result is that no one’s teaching how to write job descriptions that reflect clarity, values, and attract candidates who believe in your mission. You end up sifting through resumes from people who don’t fit and wishing you had someone with fire in their belly, not just bullet points on a resume.
Top Mistakes That Kill Job Listings
Vague, Generic Title
Titles like “Software Engineer” are a black hole. You want “Senior React Engineer (Fintech) | Lead-Impact Role.” Be specific. Titles are keywords.
Overwhelming Requirements
If you list 12 skills, you’ll only get someone who has each skill well, and that person doesn’t exist. Focus on must-haves vs. nice-to-haves. Great candidates see overwhelm and click away.
Dry “Responsibilities” Lists
“Write maintainable code” or “Participate in scrums”? Snooze. Talk about outcomes. Write: “Own the payments microservice, improve latency by 20%, optimise PCI compliance.”
Skipping Culture or Mission
Candidates want to know why they’re working. “Join us on our mission to make schooling affordable worldwide.” Don’t just list tasks; list aspirations.
No Details on Career Path
Hiring is selling. If people don’t see progression, they scroll on. Show line of sight: “2 years in, you’ll own the client roadmap and mentor juniors.”
Hiding Salary
Surveys show public salary ranges increase applications by 23% (sometimes cut out 80% of low-fit candidates). If negotiation scares you, list a range like “C$70,000-C$90,000.”
What Candidates Really Look For
Top-tier talent applications aren’t based on job specs; they’re emotional and practical. Here’s what makes them click “apply”:
- Purpose & Impact: They want to believe in the mission, not just write code. A human-centric mission statement wins hearts.
- Growth Opportunity: They ask, Will I grow here? Spell out levelling paths (they want “IC2 → IC4 in 18 months”).
- Autonomy & Ownership: “Manage well-scoped projects from end-to-end” beats generic team player.” People want agency.
- Culture & Values: “Value-based, not vision-based” companies attract a better long-term fit. Highlight values—collaboration, transparency, and ownership.
- Compensation Transparency: Even a range shows integrity: “Competitive salary + equity + benefits.” It sets expectations early.
The Psychology Framework: P.E.P.
Now let’s layer on a simple but powerful P.E.P. formula for your next JD:
| Element | What it Does | Example Line |
|---|---|---|
| Problem | Defines their challenge | “Scaling system to serve 150k daily users.” |
| Empowerment | Shows autonomy | “You’ll own the payments microservice.” |
| Promise | Shows benefit | “Own it, optimize it, own its impact.” |
Example rewrite:
- “Software engineer” becomes:
- Problem: “We’re hitting plateaus at 150k daily users.”
- Empowerment: “You’ll take ownership of payment APIs…”
- Promise: “…and see your work reduce transaction failures by 30%.”
Structuring Your Winning JD
Start with a Magnetic Hook
Two lines max. Example:
“Join our team to scale Canada’s #1 mental-health platform from 150k to 1M users.”
Who You Are
3 bullet points. Contextual and specific:
- Year-old remote-first fintech
- Grew ARR to C$3M
- Hybrid values, distributed across 4 cities
Who You’re Looking For
Use the PEP structure and real employee expectations.
- What challenge they own
- Why it’s meaningful
- Who they work with
Must-Have vs Nice-to-Have
| Must Have | Nice to Have |
|---|---|
| 3+ years in React + TS | Node.js experience |
| Built production APIs | Experience with fintech payments |
Career Growth + Culture
“You’ll move from Product Developer → Tech Lead in 18 months. We’re driven by transparency, autonomy, and shared success.”
Compensation & Equity
“Base: C$90–110K + equity + annual bonus + benefits (hello, remote budget!).”
Applying & Hiring Process
Simple steps:
- Anonymous form 3-minute screen
- Short chat with/ recruiter
- 45-minute Take-home assignment
- 90-min. technical + cultural panel
- Offer within 2 weeks
Summary + CTA
“Want to play a pivotal part in building next-gen fintech? Send us your resume and a link to something you’ve built.”
SEO, Inclusivity, & Accessibility
SEO for JDs
- Use SEO keyword in headers: e.g., “Senior React Engineer Toronto” appears in title & headers
- Populate alt text and content keywords naturally (React, Typescript, fintech, remote)
Inclusive Language
- Avoid gender-coded words (“ninja,” “rockstar”)
- Use gender-neutral pronouns (“they/them”)
- Encourage people from diverse backgrounds
Use tools: Textio or Gender decoder
Accessibility
- Easy-to-scan layout
- Clear bullets (“●” or “–”)
- Screen-reader safe; avoid embedded images-only specs
Include a line like “We welcome candidates from differing backgrounds. If you’ve done X or Y, we want to hear from you.”
FAQs
Q1: Should I include remote options?
Yes. 85% of candidates prefer it; mentions increase views by 20%.
Q2: Should I state salary?
Yes. Transparency = trust. Public ranges reduce mismatches and wasted time.
Q3: How long should it be?
400–700 words max. Any longer, key info is skipped visually.
Q4: How often do you update JD?
Every 6 months or with major changes.
Q5: What platform can help me simplify the process?
Anutio is a platform that cuts down many issues in your job, reaching the right audience. For every job posted, you get talent matches fit for your company based on your descriptions and their profile and projects.
Writing a strong job description is about meeting real people where they are, showing them why the work matters, and making the application process seamless.
