There is a huge demand for software developers in Singapore. Organisations require more techies than there are available in the region, resulting in a talent crunch. This means that every company out there is hiring, and writing hundreds or thousands of job descriptions for software developers.

With so many options to choose from, the candidate certainly has an upper hand. Thus, to attract and hire the best technical talent, companies should pay attention to detail when creating their job descriptions (JDs).

In this article, we have put together tips to help you create an outstanding job description.

Why Great Job Descriptions matter

Knowing how to create job descriptions for software developers helps you to

Attract the right talent for the job
Effectively communicate the role and responsibilities
Set candidates' expectations beforehand

Most companies have HR teams to take care of all hiring tasks, including writing job descriptions for software engineers. Unfortunately, HR professionals may not be the best people for this as they usually aren’t equipped with technical knowledge and more often than not, they end up creating job listings that are irrelevant and uninteresting.

How then do you stand out as an employer such that candidates show interest in your open positions? There are three possible ways to do this:

Upskill your HRs
Problem: They aren’t trained in technology.
Assign the task to a developer
Problem: Overburden on the developer. Also, s/he may not be a good writer.
Take help from an expert technical recruitment agency
Problem: None! In fact, it’s the best solution. They will bring their expertise and help companies to create client-focused JDs for software engineers.

Tips to Write Excellent Job Descriptions for Software Engineers

If you are a hiring manager and want to know how to write your own job description that grabs the candidate's attention, the following tips will help you:

1. Write specific Job Titles

Before your job posting reaches the candidates, it has to screen through search engines. Techies rarely search for generic titles like software engineer or developer. Rather, they make specialised searches based on the technologies. Hence, titles like Full-Stack Python Developer, Senior Software Developer (C++/Python), Lead Java Developer, etc., will appear easily during search results.

2. Personalise the Job Descriptions

While writing job descriptions for software engineers, you need to market your company right. The power of personalization is remarkable. So to entice job seekers, create a JD that speaks to the candidate in the second person and uses an active voice. For instance, saying “You will work alongside the product marketing team” will have a more welcoming effect than the line “This person will work with the product marketing team”.

3. Talk about what your company stands for

Today’s candidates are more discerning. They want to work with employers whose company’s values align with theirs. Hence, including the company values, vision, and mission in the job description would be a great idea. Also, include your USP and how you differentiate yourself from your competitors.

By understanding how to write job profiles, you can win over candidates who resonate with your vision and goals. Conversely, should your job application get a lukewarm response, you can conclude that it might perhaps be a good time to reassess your company values.

4. What do they stand to gain

Gone are the days when Job Descriptions were about the employer's requirements alone. Software engineers today want to join a company that can add value to their careers. Hence, include in the job description how candidates will make an impact on a company project or product.

5. Describe the responsibilities and the technology stack

Software engineers look for jobs that help them learn and enhance their skills. They are more inclined toward jobs that use the latest and most in-demand technologies.

Therefore, the JDs should not only specify the roles and responsibilities, but also the technology stacks being used, and the career growth path.

6. Include remuneration details and other benefits

Last but not the least, great compensation matters. Unfortunately, most HRs refrain from including benefits and pay ranges in the Job Description. As a result, you may receive applications from applicants whose salary demands exceed your budget.Thus, a reference to the salary range and benefits like ESOPs, L&D opportunities, etc., in the job description would be helpful in narrowing down the variety of applicants.

Template to create a Job description for Software Engineers

About the company - Company culture, environment, values, and goals

Profile brief - A summary of the job

Roles and responsibility

Skills and technology requirements

Compensation - Payscale, additional benefits, learning and growth opportunities

CTA - How to apply/what is the next step for the job seeker

Things to Avoid in a Job Description

With bad job descriptions, you may end up hiring the wrong person for the role. Including meaningless jargon, irrelevant job titles, and impossible requirements are some mistakes you should never commit in your Job description for software developers. A few more points to keep in mind are:

Outdated or irrelevant job descriptions:

So you hired a developer three years back and have been using the same job posting as a template for subsequent years and current hiring. Well, it's high time you drop this practice and create a job description for software developers that is relevant to today’s candidates.

Incomplete job postings: If you want to hire the best, you need to provide them with all the necessary information in the JD. No good candidate will proceed with vague job descriptions with incomplete information.

Unrealistic expectations:

Do you see any problems with the following statement - “Require 15+ years’ experience with Node.js”? In case you didn’t, let us remind you that Node.js was first written in 2009. Hence, ensure you don’t include such or any other unrealistic expectation.

Conclusion

With well-defined job descriptions, you can expect to receive applications from candidates who better match what you are looking for. In turn, candidates will also have a better understanding of what they can expect from the company and what their manager will expect from them. Thus, to summarise, when writing job descriptions, be sure to be specific in your job titles, elaborate on the role and responsibilities, highlight your company’s values and provide a brief idea of what you can provide in terms of remuneration and benefits.

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Backend Technology Interview Questions

Why Great Job Descriptions matter

Tips to Write Excellent Job Descriptions for Software Engineers

1. Write specific Job Titles

2. Personalise the Job Descriptions

3. Talk about what your company stands for

4. What do they stand to gain

5. Describe the responsibilities and the technology stack

6. Include remuneration details and other benefits

Template to create a Job description for Software Engineers

Things to Avoid in a Job Description

Outdated or irrelevant job descriptions:

Unrealistic expectations:

Conclusion

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