The success of any company hinges on its ability to attract and hire the right people. Unfortunately, in a skills-short environment like the financial sector, connecting with the right candidates can be complicated; Around 95% of employers say they’re now struggling to fill the gaps in their team.
While an excellent benefits and remuneration package can help you capture the attention of potential employees, it’s your job description that often determines whether people will actually apply for your roles.
Unfortunately, many hiring managers and business leaders still struggle to create job descriptions that actively engage and excite candidates. Today, we’re going to share the strategies you can use to create irresistible financial job descriptions.
Understanding the Power of a Job Description
Job descriptions are one of the most common tools used in the hiring landscape, and their value is frequently overlooked by hiring managers. However, studies show that around 60% of job seekers won’t apply for a role if a job description is too long, and around 43% of job descriptions don’t accurately reflect the nature of the role.
Your job description is the first opportunity you have to connect with candidates and sell the value of working with your team. It’s your opportunity to highlight your employer’s unique company culture and brand.
With the right job description, you can set clear expectations for your future employees, simplifying the onboarding process and improving time to value. Plus, you can boost your chances of attracting the right talent in a skills-short market. Around 52% of job seekers say job descriptions directly influence their decision to apply for a role.
These vital documents also:
- Guide you toward the right hiring decisions
- Form the foundation of interview questions
- Help to differentiate your brand from other companies
The Key Elements of a Financial Job Description
Many financial companies have their own templates they follow when writing job descriptions. They take insights from their structured interview process, competitor analysis, and staff feedback to design effective documents.
While the style and tone of your job description might vary, the best documents should always balance access to concise, useful information with insights that engage and intrigue candidates.
Some of the key elements every financial job description should include are:
- A title and summary: The first component of a good job description is often a role title and a brief summary of the position. Avoid jargon and complicated terms when outlining the title for your role, as this can lead to confusion.
- The role and responsibilities: A brief but informative description of the role and what it entails. This section of the job description is your opportunity to set expectations for your financial candidates and let them know what they’ll be responsible for in your team.
- Required qualifications and experience: Insights into the specific experience and technical skills (such as accounting) your employee will need. Avoid listing “nice to have” educational requirements and skills. Focus only on the most crucial competencies.
- Soft skills: Insights into the soft skills that will help employees thrive in your company culture, such as leadership qualities, communication, and problem-solving.
- Company Insights: Financial candidates want an insight into the vision, mission, and values of the company they’ll be working with. An “About Us” section gives you an opportunity to highlight your culture and purpose, as well as critical DEI information.
- Growth opportunities: Every employee wants to see room for progression in the role they’re applying for. Provide an insight into potential development programs and career paths your new hire will be able to explore.
- Compensation and benefits: Clearly outline the salary for your role and the monetary and non-monetary benefits available to employees. You might highlight things like options for flexible working or access to a four-day work schedule.
Tips for Optimising Financial Job Descriptions
There’s more to writing a compelling job description for the financial sector than simply including all of the right information in your document. Remember, this is your opportunity to essentially “advertise” your business to the top talent you need.
The best ways to enhance your job descriptions include:
Working with a Financial Recruitment Team
Working with an expert recruitment team is the best way to instantly improve the quality of your hiring process. Your financial recruitment team can use their knowledge of the market to highlight which key points you should include in your job descriptions.
They can assist you in tailoring your language to reach the right audience and ensure your job descriptions are positioned in the right environments to attract the most candidates. They can also offer ongoing support throughout the recruitment process, from screening CVs to negotiating offers and creating a candidate pool for your team.
Sharing Insights into your EVP
Today’s financial candidates are looking for more than just an excellent salary. They want to see evidence that they’re going to be part of a business with an exceptional company culture and plenty of benefits to offer.
Use your job description to highlight the things that make your business compelling to candidates, such as your inclusive company culture, access to remote work opportunities, and excellent development and training resources. If you’re not sure what to include, ask your existing employees what encouraged them to join your team in the first place.
Review Your Job Descriptions Carefully
Before publishing a job description on a job board, your own website, or social media, take a moment to review everything carefully. Ensure the information your candidates need about their roles and responsibilities is easy to understand. Eliminate any jargon and complicated terms, and consider using short paragraphs and bullet points to make the content easily skimmable.
While reviewing your job descriptions, make sure:
- The content is inclusive: Look for any instances of unconscious bias in your use of language. Terms like “experienced veteran” or “young go-getter” could easily alienate vital candidates, and reduce your talent pool.
- You share insights into the candidate experience: Help candidates understand what they can expect from the interview, onboarding, and induction process. These insights will show top talent you’re committed to offering an excellent experience.
- There are no common mistakes: Avoid common mistakes like using hyperbolic language, failing to include relevant information, or using “marketing” style job titles like “superstar” or “rockstar”.
Writing Compelling Financial Job Descriptions
Crafting a compelling job description is crucial to attracting and engaging talent in today’s skills-short marketplace. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can optimise and enhance your job descriptions, improving access to a wide talent pool.
If you’re struggling to produce job descriptions that make an impact, the best strategy is to seek assistance from a financial recruitment company. These experts can give you the guidance and support you need to stand out in a crowded market.
Thanks
Rachel
About Rebus Financial Recruitment
Rebus Financial Recruitment provides a specialist and focused recruitment service to its customers, ranging from various organisations, including SMEs, to large PLCs.
We strive to offer both the client and candidate a seamless recruitment experience. Using our expertise, we get to the heart of employer and employee needs, and, in doing so, we match the two perfectly.
To learn more, contact one of our team today or call us on 01282 930930.
