How to Write Job Descriptions to Attract MSP Candidates
You cannot make a successful hire if all the candidates you are interviewing are awful. Invest the time needed to feed the top of your candidate funnel. Effective job descriptions will elicit the right response from the right candidates. And if you feed your funnel, you’ll end up spending more time interviewing worthwhile candidates. Write an effective job description by incorporating the following components:
Company Sizzle: Put this at the top of your job description; 25% of your job ad should be a sexy description of how great your company is and written to elicit emotion – don’t just list facts and don’t just list your company’s services. Paint a picture of opportunity; share what your company is aspiring to be, what you have to offer, describe your culture. The sexier the better.
Example of a Good Company Sizzle
We have a full-time Level 2 Systems Administrator role open. We are a Houston-based IT Managed Service Provider that has doubled revenue in the last two years. In this role you’d be spearheading the client acquisition process, functioning as the tip of the spear driving revenue as we continue to scale. The primary responsibilities are 1) providing proactive and reactive support engaging with SMB clients and 2) help drive the completion of Cloud-based projects.
The name of our company is XYZMSP. We are an IT Managed Service Provider focused on white glove virtual CIO and CTO delivery to multiple industry verticals (gas, civil engineering and law firms). We cater our services to SMBs based in the Houston area. Here’s a link to our website.
Example of a Bad Company Sizzle
We are XYZMSP, a Managed IT Services Provider located in Houston, TX. We support the technology demands and network needs of small and medium-sized businesses in the Houston area. Our clients want to know that they are secure, protected, and have a partner like XYZMSP to handle their support when they need it most. We are looking for IT Technicians!
Describe the Day-to-Day: Unlike the sizzle, this should be written illustratively; clearly and concisely and keep it short. The secret is to avoid using words that have a negative connotation i.e. “this job requires engaging prospects via phone and email instead” of “you’ll be driving to client sites all day.”
Career track: Define it. Even if you don’t have it fleshed out, employees must know what they are working towards and what’s in store. You might not be offering the job someone wants today, but if the career track leads them to where they want to be, they might be someone you want to interview.
Culture: This one is key because candidates apply to the jobs they connect with logically and emotionally; writing about company culture is how to connect with the emotional side. Around 20% of your job ad should touch on culture.
Job Requirements: Keep it short and sweet, only 10% of your job description should list requirements and technologies. Be frank about what this position requires AND keep it broad and general. You want candidates intrigued which means don’t tell them everything in the job description. Make them want to apply to learn more.
Job Posting: Post the same job 3-5 times but with different variations of the same job title, i.e. Level 2 System Admin, Tier 2 System Engineer, Level 2 Sys Admin w/Light Projects Experience.
