The Art and Science of Writing Effective On-Line Job Postings

By Pearl Freier

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For the qualified scientist who is about to search for a job opportunity on the internet, there are virtually thousands of job postings competing for his or her attention. Only those handfuls of job postings with the most compelling messages are likely to be explored or “clicked” by the discerning candidate. As competition continues to increase for the high-caliber candidate- the writing of effective on-line job postings is becoming more of an art and science today for employers.

Creating an effective job posting is not about using catchy phrases or clever job titles. It is about strategically filling out the job posting form with as many specific keywords as possible. The categories and the keywords you choose will determine where your job appears or if your job appears when the job seekers you are targeting are searching on the job board of your choice. Employers are more likely to receive an overwhelming response from unqualified candidates, when postings lack specific information regarding the skills and experience necessary for the job. The quality of the resumes received, not the quantity, is the measure to use to determine your job posting success.

A critical component of writing the job posting is writing and thinking from your intended audience’s perspective. Who is your intended audience? who are you trying to recruit? Which category or discipline would they select when they are doing a search? The job posting is an advertisement for your company and the job opportunity available. Make sure the posting is positioned properly to attract the attention of your target market. Create a job posting that presents a clear message to your candidates of choice.

Each job board has different posting forms, but the main categories usually include: the location or city for the position, the organization or employer type, the discipline or field, the position type or career level, the position title, and keywords or subdiscipline.

As you look at the posting form, carefully decide under which discipline or categories to post your positions. A typical error that employers make is that they post positions under the wrong category or discipline. If you are not sure where your ideal candidate would look, check with a hiring manager or an employee at the company with a similar background. Otherwise your job may not appear during job searches. It also may not be E-mailed to candidates who have registered to receive notices when specific positions are posted. On some websites you can check off as many disciplines as appropriate- you should take advantage of this in order to increase the odds of qualified candidates viewing your posting.

Another common error that employers make involves the position title. Do not use a generic title like Scientist I without including the specific area of specialization. For example, Scientist I- Molecular Biology or use Molecular Biologist. Titles do vary industrywide; include the title that the qualified candidates for your position will recognize, even if it differs from the title on file in the company’s official job description. For example, I was working with a client on a Director of Pharmacology position, and we started seeing better resumes for the position when we advertised the position as Director- In Vivo Tumor Biology.

Now let’s tackle the detailed description of the job itself. The message must be conveyed in the first five or six lines of the posting. Just as employers quickly scan resumes in 30 seconds or less, today’s job seekers do the same with job postings, they initially scan through the hundreds of openings they see weekly. The posting must get their attention before they go on to the next posting.

What is needed is a concise description of the job opportunity and the skills and the level of experience in order for the candidate to be successful in this position. Use as many keywords and terms as possible that could potentially be found during a database search by the candidate. Think about what will make this posting compelling for your targeted candidate.

Most employees today, especially scientists, want challenging work, they want to be fully engaged. They want to be part of a team that helps to achieve breakthroughs in medicine and they want opportunities to learn and grow. They are interested in work that could impact the company and want a chance to make a significant contribution to the company and/or society. Describe an opportunity like this and you will see an increase in the number of quality resumes you receive.

The following are some other key elements which interest jobseekers and are recommended for inclusion in the posting:

• Brief information about the employer. Why should the scientist want to work for this particular company? It is vital to provide some information about the company’s culture, milestones, recent achievements, collaborations and future prospects.
• A link to the company’s website for more information.
• Job description information- what the employees are expected to accomplish, their duties and responsibilities.
• Skills, education, and experience necessary to be successful in the position.
• Who they will be working with and specifically in what groups.
• Salary range for the position- including information on bonuses and stock options.
• Information on company benefits like healthcare, vacation time, and tuition reimbursement.
• Contact information, and information on how to apply or how to respond to the posting, an e-mail address or fax number.
• Relocation information.

Lastly, always preview your job posting before you send it. Always make sure there are no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors.

Pearl Freier is an executive search consultant with a life sciences practice in Cambridge.
The following is an example of an online posting that resulted in a successful hire:

Associate Director, In Vivo Tumor Biology

XYZ Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company in San Francisco that is rapidly growing. Four of our pharmaceutical products are currently being tested in human clinical trials. XYZ has strong financial support from top-tier venture capital firms and has assembled an internationally recognized founding team and scientific advisory board.

XYZ is making a major commitment to the development of antibody and protein therapeutics in cancer. We have an opening for a senior-level scientist (PhD, MD, or DVM) to direct efforts in In Vivo Tumor Biology.

This group leader will build a team of scientists that will use animal models of human tumors for gene discovery and pre-clinical drug development within the Pharmacology group in collaboration with XYZ’s Oncology efforts.

Previous experience desired: Documented success in the development and use of pre-clinical models in either the pharmaceutical or biotechnology sector. Experience building and managing a team of scientists. Extensive experience in the development and use of rodent and human xenograft models including orthotopic and hollow fiber systems. Ability to participate in gene discovery and functional genomic approaches using transgenic and knockout mice. Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to make presentations to management.

Educational background desired: PhD in Molecular/Cellular Biology, Biochemistry or Pharmacology. Extensive experience in tumor biology with emphasis on murine models of human cancer.

Salary range for this position is between $110,000 and $135,000 plus stock options and yearly bonus. This position is eligible for relocation.

For more information about this position, XYZ’s culture and comprehensive benefits package, log on to http://www.XYZPharma.com To apply for this position, please E-mail your resume to pfreier@xyzpharma.com

XYZ Pharmaceuticals is an Equal Opportunity Employer