Tips for preparing a quality job listing

Be descriptive

Explain the nature of your business, the job duties, the hours of work, and educational or certification requirements, as applicable to the open position.

Proper formatting

Use complete sentences. Format the information in a logical, easy-to-read manner. Use sentence case (upper and lower case letters) to enter information. It is much easier to read than ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

Include information on pay and benefits

Most job seekers look for this information first on a job order. Including this information on your job listing sets your business apart from those that don't include this information, and will attract more interest in your openings. At minimum, include the starting salary. List specific benefits, avoiding statements such as "Benefits available" or "Will be discussed at interview".

Fully explain how to apply

Include the business address, telephone number, fax number, email address, the contact person's name, hours of contact, and the application deadline.

Use the Company Description

A well-formed company description includes information about the services you provide or the products you produce. Think of it as a way to advertise your business to the job seeker. Why should they consider coming to work for you?

Assistance in Creating a Job Description

For assistance in creating a job description, visit the O*Net Code Connector. You can click on any occupational group, on the right, or type in an occupation in the text field, on the left.

For example, if you were looking for "janitor", you would click on the link for Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance. The Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance group is broken down into a more detailed list. To find the information for "janitor", click on the link for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (8th one down on the indented list). Detailed information is displayed for the janitor occupation. The information can be copied and pasted from O*Net Code Connector to the job order, then edited to fit your situation.

O*Net is an excellent source of information for developing job descriptions because it describes the job, not the person. To search by keyword, type the name (or portion of the name) of the job title in the Keyword Search field, then click on the Search button. A list of matches will be displayed. Click on the link (under Occupations) for the occupation that you think most closely matches what you are looking for. The detailed information for janitor will be displayed. This is the same screen that was displayed when using the Occupational Menu.

If you have questions or need assistance with your job orders, using O*Net, or other issues, contact your local Job Center. To locate the Job Center nearest you, call 888-258-9966 toll-free, or visit the Wisconsin Job Center Directory.