Why you should be writing a good job description

June 24, 2020

Quite often many firms will start the recruitment process and have every intention of writing a job description, but don’t often get round to it. However, like so many things in life there is a cost to this shortcut as it actually can work against you when hiring.

In the challenging conditions many financial service firms are working under at the moment time is a luxury, as is recruiting in some cases. Quite often many firms will start the recruitment process and have every intention of writing a job description, but don’t often get round to it. However, like so many things in life there is a cost to this shortcut as it actually can work against you when hiring. So below we’ve outlined some reasons why you should write a good job description:

You may be closing off a whole talent pool

Firstly, financial services firms are reaching out to professionals to work for them. These individuals like to give full consideration to an opportunity before they agree to having their CV submitted. Their due diligence often includes reviewing your website, looking through recent press releases, and reviewing a job description. More often than not, high calibre candidates won’t even let a recruiter submit their CV until they’ve seen a job description, and so you may be closing off a large potential talent pool by simply not producing a description.

You never really understand a person until you consider things form his point of view
Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird

The best candidates, and the ones you want to join your firm, prepare in some depth for interviews. A job description helps them highlight the skills and experiences they have that are most valuable to your organisation, and this enables you to spend more time on the most relevant parts of their career. Both parties will get more out of the conversation. Also, put yourself in the interviewee’s shoes and think if having a job description would help you if you were going for an interview.

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It’s a great way to differentiate and sell your business

The traditional employment model is changing, and employers have to sell themselves much more – and particularly to top performers. A well written document is a great way to highlight why your business is so great, and why people should want to work there.

It may help you write an advert for the role

All firms are keen to increase the number of direct hires they make, and a good job description is the foundation of a well written job advertisement

You may learn how you can improve your own business

Many job descriptions will include an outline of the firm, the processes you utilise, and your aims for the business. Quite often, high quality candidates will take a plan into an interview as to how they would improve processes. Having your current business model evaluated by another industry professional is a great way to analyse your own processes.

It will help you review performance later on

A good job description will help you analyse the appointee’s success or failure at a later review meeting. It will also keep you on track to ensure you meet your business aims.

Can your recruiter help you?

A good recruitment firm will always try to meet the hiring manager. If you don’t have time to write a job description, can your recruiter write one for your amendment and approval.

About Fram Search

Established in 2010 by Simon Roderick, a recruiter with 20 years City recruitment experience, Fram Search is a specialist financial services recruitment consultancy. We focus on permanent and interim recruitment in the UK & internationally.

We provide high quality contingent and retained recruitment to boutiques and global brands. We have long established relationships and access to deep talent pools. Fram takes a highly consultative approach, and we have a quality over quantity ethos. We are proud that our contingent fill rate is nearly twice the industry average and we augment our retained search methodology with rigorous psychometric testing. Champions of diversity & inclusion, all staff have undertaken unconscious bias training.

Please call us on 01525 864 372 to learn more.