A job description is often a candidate’s first impression of your organization—and one of your most impactful opportunities to stand out from the crowd. So how do you write a job description that attracts the entry level talent you're trying to reach?
Some of the things that students and recent grads look for in a job description include:
- What type of position is this?
- Will this role help me gain experience?
- What is the salary?
- What are the perks and benefits?
- Do I meet the qualifications?
- Where is the position located, or is it remote?
- Does this job require work authorization?
- What is this employer’s reputation?
- What are the employer’s values?
- What makes this employer and this job special?
From writing with inclusive language to highlighting the skills that can be learned on the job, use the following five tips to uplevel your job descriptions and attract entry level job seekers.
Best practices for writing job descriptions for early talent
1. Use a relevant job title for entry level talent
Consider how students might search for your role and treat potential job titles like keywords. Be literal—new job seekers want and need consistency. Ensure the title in the job description is the same everywhere you post and promote your role. For example, if you're hiring for a position your industry commonly refers to as a “Business Development Specialist,” but you title it “B2B Corporate Sales” on your job post, you could miss out on potential pipeline.
Post a job on Handshake: When a student saves your job on Handshake, they automatically receive updates and reminders. This increases the likelihood that a student will apply to your job. Students receive personalized job recommendation emails based on the preferences you input into the Job Form.
2. Focus on skills, not experience
For your job description to resonate with early talent, you may need to rethink what’s required to be successful in your entry level roles. Of course, most recent grads have 0-5 years of experience, so you don’t want to put in a job description that 5 years of experience is required.
Shift to skills-based hiring by sourcing for skills, coursework, and certifications so that the job description is relevant to someone just starting out in their career. Highlight skills that a student can learn on the job to excite them about the opportunity to grow professionally. In addition to technical or hard skills, help students and job seekers easily identify which soft skills you’re looking for, too.
Post a job on Handshake: On the Job Form, you can add up to 7 skills that you’re looking for in addition to your required criteria. Once you determine your criteria, use Talent List to find students that meet your ideal requirements. Get additional engagement filters in Talent List with Handshake Talent Engagement Suite.
What is skills-based hiring?
Learn the benefits of skills-based hiring, and how this approach can help you uncover skilled early talent and update your talent acquisition strategy starting…now.
Learn more3. Write with inclusive language
As the most diverse generation yet, it’s no surprise that Gen Z uses diversity as a criteria for their evaluation of a job. In fact, more than 60% of Gen Zers indicated that they either always or usually research company leadership diversity, according to a Handshake Network Trends report.
Gen Z job seekers factor values alignment into decisions about where to buy and where to work. Your job description should highlight your mission, your values, and your culture, and be written using inclusive language. Job descriptions are an important part of your overall DEI strategy, too; for example, the term "hacker" can be perceived as gendered, so use "engineer" or "developer" instead.
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Learn more4. Remove or loosen requirements
One way to help your role stand out to Gen Z is to be upfront about the application process. Clearly outline the steps, estimated timelines, and any required materials so they can plan accordingly. Transparency not only helps candidates feel more prepared but also builds trust in your organization from the start. By addressing their potential concerns early, you demonstrate empathy and respect for their time, which can make your company stand out in a competitive hiring landscape.
Keep in mind that many students are open to a range of industries regardless of their major; for example, last year, computer science students submitted only around half their applications to tech companies, with the remainder going to industries like manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, and government.
It’s important to make sure that your posts are meeting all applicable employment laws. For example, the US government prohibits employers from excluding eligible job applicants based on citizenship. On Handshake, all employers answer a uniform set of questions related to work authorization to ensure proper compliance. We encourage employers to educate themselves and stay current on all employment laws as well.
5. State compensation and benefits
Gen Z values clear expectations for potential earnings alongside competitive benefits like flexible work schedules, tuition assistance, and learning stipends. For example, if you’re not currently including in your job description that the role offers learning and development benefits, you could be missing out on talent: almost 9 in 10 undergrads say learning and development benefits are either important or essential when evaluating a job opportunity.
You can also showcase opportunities for building social connection and community, such as through ERGs or volunteering. As early career professionals explore where to live, how to start paying off student loans, and the type of culture they are drawn to, these are important details for marketing your open roles.
Many states now require pay transparency to comply with evolving legislation, making it critical for employers to stand out. By meeting these requirements and offering meaningful benefits, you can attract top talent and stay ahead in the competitive hiring landscape.
Post a job on Handshake: With legislation that requires employers in certain states to disclose salary range to candidates in job descriptions, Handshake makes it easy to stay compliant with a required salary field on the Job Form. Fill in the compensation, benefits, and perks fields of the Job Form to help your job stand out to students.
Reach the candidates you want with improved job descriptions
Writing engaging, inclusive, and clear job descriptions takes practice and patience—but the payoff is worth it. Once you update your job descriptions, you can better attract early career candidates excited to apply—and see a future with your employer.