Writing a Winning Job Description: Attracting Top Software Candidates

It’s still a job hunter’s market. This means that if you want to attract top software candidates, you’ll have to take proactive steps to stand out from the crowd. One of the best places to start is with your job descriptions. Here are some tips.

Determine Your Ideal Candidate

Software professionals are human beings with individual backgrounds, values, and priorities. To attract the best, you need to know exactly who you’re looking for on a human level. Where are they in their career journey? Where do they want to be in five years? Are they motivated primarily by money or mission or the work itself? Hone in on what you actually mean by top software candidates, and you’ll find it easier to write job descriptions that resonate with them.

Choose the Right Keywords

Without SEO (search engine optimization), your job descriptions may never find their way to the people you want to hire. Consider what keywords your ideal candidate might use when searching for a job. Then, sprinkle those keywords naturally throughout each job description.

Talk About Your Company

Top software candidates have plenty of options. Why should they work for you? Explain what your company does and how long it’s been in business. Then, talk about why you’re hiring right now. Did you just land a big contract? Are you building a brand-new in-house development team? Find a way to get potential new hires excited about what you have to offer.

Lay Out the Benefits, Requirements, and Responsibilities

Briefly but clearly explain what’s in it for the candidate. Beyond basic benefits, are there any sort of perks? Maybe you cater lunch on Fridays, offer a home office stipend, or host an employee retreat in the Bahamas every spring. Also, touch on the work itself and why it matters to the community.

List any essential requirements for the role, but keep it short. Many people, especially women and people of color, will hesitate to apply for a position if they don’t meet even one listed requirement. If you must include nonessential skills, group them under a “Nice to Have” subheading.

The responsibilities section is your chance to show candidates what they would actually do all day. Choose action verbs that promote excitement, such as “develop video games” or “restructure IT systems.”

Watch Your Language

Unfortunately, the software industry is still dominated by young white men. To draw in a more diverse candidate pool, avoid biased language in your job descriptions. Choose simple, plain-spoken wording that is gender-neutral and easy for candidates whose first language is not English to understand.

Build A Forward-Thinking Software Team With PEAK

If you are looking for talented software professionals to help your organization achieve its goals, contact the experts at PEAK Technical Staffing today to learn how we can help you access cutting-edge talent.