The Tools You Need to Craft Effective Job Listings

In a tight job market, your job listings are crucial to share information with applicants and set your company apart from the competition. 

As you put together job listings, it’s important to understand the difference between a job posting and a job description and why each is important. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) knowledge adviser Deniece Maston says the terms are used interchangeably but have some important differences. She says a job posting is typically what a company uses to sell itself when filling an open job role, while a job description is about providing in-depth information on the role.

“When I think of a job posting, it includes that company’s values and mission and persuades applicants to apply,” Maston says. “A job description is more comprehensive and can be used as a tool for compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and Americans With Disabilities Act.”

Maston says both can be included in your job listing, but the job posting is what will draw applicants in and encourage them to apply. The job posting should be factual, informative and interesting. 

“Some employers are offering unheard-of benefits like unlimited PTO, flexible hours and office snacks. These points you don’t normally see in a job description, but in the posting they are important to make that company appealing,” she says. “In a competitive market like we’re seeing now, the job posting is going to be exceptionally important because it allows job seekers to see what makes your company different, what values you have and what benefits you offer.”   

For more information on how to craft a job description, check out SHRM’s guide How To Develop a Job Description. 

The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) also offers a library of home improvement industry job descriptions that you can use outright or edit to fit your needs.