Writing and reviewing the job description

The first step in recruiting qualified candidates for an open position is to write an appropriate job description. Employers may have draft job descriptions already prepared for when a position opens, but it is important to review and update the job description to ensure it is up to date. If you’re faced with writing a job description from scratch, the The U.S. Small Business Administration offers a detailed guide.

Posting an open position

Prospective employees often look to the internet to find open positions. Larger organizations often have their own career center to list available positions, but many use job recruiting search engines to redirect to their online job listings and application pages. For smaller organizations without robust websites and human resources departments, online job listings can be posted directly to job search sites and applications can be submitted through that portal. The top job search engines are: Indeed.com, Monster.com, LinkedUp.com and SimplyHired.com. An additional 50 prospective search engines to use for finding qualified candidates can be found here. Health care organizations in South Dakota can also post open positions on such local websites as the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulations job page. For entry level positions, it is also a good idea to connect with local and regional colleges and technical institutes to have available positions posted on schools’ websites. A phone call to a program’s department chair can connect an organization with recent or future graduates.

Marketing the organization

Organizations must go beyond simply marketing an open position and sell itself to prospective employees. These tips can help employers write a simple paragraph to describe the organization and “sell” it to a prospective employee:

• Include company name and purpose
• Be sure to refer to the company in third person
• Highlight (in one sentence) what the company does or has accomplished
• Explain the benefits the organization offers to the community
• Showcase the organization into the future

Source: San Francisco Chronicle. Use this Checklist to help systematize your hiring process.