Join the conversation...
@HireWaterloo on Twitter
Write a five-star job description to attract next
gen talent to your company.
Attracting emerging talent is more important than ever before. Millennials and Generation Z will be 75 per cent of the workforce by 2025. As demographics change, so do talent needs.
Home to North America’s largest co-op/intern program, we analyzed over 37,000 job descriptions posted in the last three years on our recruitment platform, WaterlooWorks. Based on our findings, here’s what you need to know when writing a job description that appeals to emerging talent.
Job descriptions need to have job title, location, summary, responsibilities, skill requirements, compensation and benefits.
We recommend you include the following six things in your job description:
What’s the first impression your job title leaves with a candidate? While creative titles can be attractive, they mislead and consume time to find. Job titles such as ‘numbers ninja’ versus ‘accountant’ get lost in keyword searches.
Here are two reasons accurate job titles are important:
To attract the right applicants, it is important for students to understand expectations about where they will be working and the employment arrangement (remote, in-person, or a hybrid of both). In the changing world of work, both employers and talent are no longer limited by location, time zones, or accessibility.
Be clear in your description about whether the position is remote, in-person, or hybrid. Highlight any details about expectations for in-person/on-site work, relocation details, or transportation benefits your company provides.
Highlight who you are as a company/organization and your impact in the community in your job summary. Purpose and values in the workplace are more than buzz words. Showcase why the role is important and how applicants will make a difference.
Start with ‘you’ versus ‘I’. Applicants want to know how the role benefits them. Focus your summary on what applicants bring to the table versus what you want.
Emerging talent wants to know what they will do in the role. Be transparent in your description. List what the applicant is accountable for and who they will work with. This gives a clear understanding of what to expect and helps them to better prepare for an interview.
Future-ready skills are a hot topic. Employers are looking for future-ready skills that are a mix of technical and human-centred capabilities. Be sure to include any hard skills, soft skills and education requirements for this job.
List all the core skills the ideal applicant needs to succeed in the role. Highlight skills that would be “nice to have” so applicants know what gives them an edge with your company.
Providing salary information (amount, range, etc.) and any other benefits or perks your organization offers (e.g., mentoring programs, professional development opportunities, parking/transit passes), can help students make informed decisions. It can also increase your chances of finding the right student and filling your role.
We have more for you: four best practices before and after posting a job. These are important in a digital world!
Check out the video below on our research on high impact job descriptions. See what job descriptions get the most applications.
To get a direct line to future ready talent, consider hiring Waterloo students!
Hiring from outside of Canada and the U.S.? Sign up to receive co-op hiring information for international employers.
Join the conversation...
@HireWaterloo on Twitter
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.