The Definitive Guide to Optimizing Your Healthcare Job Descriptions

 In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, attracting talent is a constant challenge. A recent study by the American Hospital Association revealed that one in five healthcare positions remain unfilled, and EMSI data suggests that there will be a shortage of up to 3.2 million healthcare workers by 2026. Through all of this, your job description will prove to be the greatest tool in your recruitment arsenal.

Look at every job description as a strategic marketing tool that is often the first and only chance your company has to make an impression on a job seeker or passive candidate. Your job description is more than a list of responsibilities, skills, and qualifications – it has the responsibility of attracting, engaging, and converting qualified talent and telling a story about what makes your organization unique, how it supports employees, and what makes people stay.

Most importantly, optimized job descriptions can significantly improve your visibility in search engine results, attracting a wider pool of qualified candidates. In this guide, we’ll dive into the things you need to consider as you create job descriptions that will:

• Attract and engage job seekers and passive candidates
• Give them the information they need to make a smart career choice
• Showcase why people want to work for you, why people stay, and what makes you unique
• Encourage users to take action and ensure a positive experience throughout their journey with you

Craft Compelling Content

There is no doubt that job seekers want clear, concise, engaging, and actionable content. You can minimize the bland tone on the job responsibilities, qualifications, and required skills and focus on language that excites and elevates. You want job seekers to be able to visualize themselves not only in the role itself but at your company in a positive way, and not just to align their skills to your requirements. Remember that your active audience is likely scanning multiple job listings so you need to make the role at your company stand out. Some ways to craft compelling job descriptions are:

• Tailor the tone and language to the type of candidate you are looking for
• Use strong verbs, aspirational situations, and examples of growth potential
• Include visuals and infographics to engage and inform visually, as opposed to text-only
• Answer the question, "Why should I work here over your competitor?"
• Embed YouTube videos that are optimized for SEO (more on that later) and specific to roles
• Feature news, employee stories & awards, community events – dynamic content is good for SEO and gives users a reason to come back to your job and reconsider taking action
• Include relevant industry and job category stories
• Segment your job descriptions for different candidate personas such as new graduates or experienced professionals, and use unique messaging and appropriate profiles and testimonials
• Let candidates know what makes a strong candidate for the role and what characteristics do not

Deliver Your Employer Brand Messaging

If you don’t have an employer brand or strategic messaging, that’s another story…or maybe a lack of story. Your job descriptions are your most visible and abundant asset, and they need to be considered the first and, perhaps, only visibility a candidate will have into working at your company. They are your best opportunity to deliver and articulate the reasons why a candidate should consider a career with you. When considering how your job descriptions should be formatted, the key is to use branded templates that include design and messaging options for the headers, footers, side-bars, and section elements. Check out our previous blog post about building and activating your Employer Brand.

You should design, build, and optimize your job descriptions as if they were a freestanding microsite or landing page. A single-page destination that hooks candidates with a compelling statement and showcases your company’s voice and values that encompass your Employer Brand and EVP.

Enhance Search Engine Visibility

SEO is still be most powerful and cost-effective way to ensure your job descriptions get the visibility they require on search engines. With Google and Microsoft making significant algorithm updates, search enhancements, and adding AI-generated results at the top of page one, it’s more important than ever to keep up with the changing landscape and requirements for optimized content of all types. To ensure your job descriptions are optimized for search, consider:

• Ensuring your job titles are simple and descriptive – no more than 3-4 words max
• Identifying keywords specific to your roles and integrating them into your job description summary and strategically throughout
• Optimizing URLs, meta descriptions, alt text, and schema data – YES, this is still important
• Using a tool like web.dev to analyze page speed and performance
• Adding dynamic content like a blog or social feed to show search engines that your job content is always updating
• Showcasing credibility from 3rd party content like award sites, PR stories, and review sites helps give your job content more authority
• Formalizing site maps, job category and location mapping, and standardizing evergreen type positions
• Developing FAQs and rich snippets based on common questions candidates and applicants ask – often FAQs are added to SERPs (search engine results pages) as "People also ask" highlighted content that may supersede static page content – today, AI generated results provide quick and relevant information in the first position on most Google SERPs
• Conducting deep search analysis of your jobs and content as compared to your competitors to discover the greatest opportunities to win the search battle
• INSIGHT – The way we’ve been using search engines has already started to shift - from accessing a dedicated search site like Google, to now searching via our preferred social network where we spend the most time – so now, many SEO techniques can be repurposed for individual social networks where active and passive candidates spend most of their time

Prioritize the User Experience & Accessibility

Enhancing job descriptions by focusing on mobile responsiveness, readability, and accessibility ensures a broader reach and better candidate engagement. Visually appealing layouts and strategic content placement, like moving company details to the bottom, make job posts more effective. Utilizing tools like heatmapping to optimize these elements further refines the user experience, attracting high-quality applicants.

• Mobile + Responsive - Ensuring job descriptions are mobile-friendly and responsive means they can be easily accessed and read on various devices, including smartphones and tablets. With a significant portion of job seekers using mobile devices to search for jobs, a responsive design ensures a seamless user experience, reduces bounce rates, and increases the likelihood of applications. Mobile-friendly job descriptions also enhance the company's professional image and cater to on-the-go candidates, increasing overall reach and engagement. It’s also crucial that you use the same considerations for the entire ATS application process for all roles.
• Readability - High readability ensures that job descriptions are easily understood by a diverse audience. Using clear, concise language, bullet points, and short paragraphs helps to communicate the role's requirements and responsibilities effectively. This not only attracts the right candidates but also reduces the risk of misinterpretation and applicant drop-off. Improved readability can also positively impact SEO.
• Accessibility - Making job descriptions accessible means ensuring they are usable by all individuals, including those with disabilities. This involves using appropriate color contrast, alternative text for images, and ensuring compatibility with screen readers. Accessible job descriptions broaden the talent pool by reaching a wider audience, demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and comply with legal standards, thereby enhancing the company's reputation and potentially avoiding legal issues.
• Visual Appeal - Visually appealing job descriptions capture the attention of potential candidates and make a positive first impression. Using a clean layout, relevant images, and company or employer branding elements can make the job posting more engaging. This not only helps to attract high-quality applicants but also reflects well on the company's brand, making it stand out in a competitive job market.
• Move the "About Our Company" summary to the bottom of the job description - Placing a concise 2-3 sentence summary of the job at the top of the job description immediately informs candidates about the role, capturing their interest right away. This approach prioritizes the candidate’s need for quick, relevant information, making the job description more candidate-centric. Moving the detailed company information to the bottom ensures that interested candidates can still learn about the company, but only after they have been hooked by the specifics of the role itself.
• Application Process - Clearly outlining the application process in job descriptions provides candidates with a clear understanding of what to expect and how to apply. This reduces confusion and frustration, leading to a higher completion rate of applications. Details such as application deadlines, required documents, and the steps involved in the hiring process also convey transparency and professionalism, enhancing the candidate experience and potentially increasing the quality of applications.
• Heatmapping - Using heatmapping tools to analyze how candidates interact with job descriptions provides valuable insights into which sections draw the most attention and which are overlooked. This data allows for the optimization of job postings by rearranging content, improving readability, and ensuring that critical information is prominently displayed. Heatmapping can help to refine the job description to maximize engagement and effectiveness, leading to better-informed candidates and a higher quality applicant pool.

Personalize Content with First-Party Data

Collecting first-party data from job seekers is crucial for enhancing your recruitment process. When candidates visit job descriptions, sign up for job alerts and enter your CRM, or apply in your ATS, they provide valuable insights into their preferences and behavior. This data allows you to personalize content, making job descriptions more relevant to individual candidates. It also allows for personalized remarketing strategies that bring candidates back to the job after an initial interaction or a visit that didn’t result in an action.

Personalized job descriptions can highlight roles that match the candidate's skills, interests, and location, even specific accomplishments in their resume increasing engagement and application rates. Furthermore, tailored job alerts keep candidates informed about opportunities that fit their profiles. This targeted approach not only attracts higher-quality applicants but also fosters a positive employer brand. Ultimately, leveraging first-party data ensures a more efficient and effective hiring process, benefiting both recruiters and job seekers.

Incorporate Employee Videos, Testimonials, and Employee Generated Content

Providing authentic content about your employees’ experiences is the best way for you to connect with your target audience on job descriptions. You want a candidate to be able to envision themself in that workplace, working with that team, and growing like the person whose profile indicates a path similar to theirs. Personal stories resonate and provide deeper insight into your organization than what job description text can do. Here are some ways we can help you do it:

• Produce employee video testimonials (with planned scripts) for three people of different experience levels in your highest need job types and place on appropriate jobs. Things to focus on:
  • Why did you choose us, and what makes you stay?
  • Can you tell a story about what made you realize you’d have a great career here?
  • How does the company support you professionally and personally?
  • How have you grown here, and what’s in your future?
• Ask the questions above on your employee surveys (you’re conducting employee surveys at least twice a year, right?) – those are your testimonials along with your best Glassdoor reviews
• Create a theme for Employee Generated Content and encourage your employees to use their social network of choice to post content about working here - then, you can share and repost on your channels
• Create unit walkthrough videos (scripted) with a host so candidates can get a sense of the work environment and the team – place videos on jobs in those units
• When creating videos, make sure you have strong calls-to-action, like: "Want to work with Nicole?", ‘Ready to carve your own path at ___?’, or ‘If this sounds like you, connect with us here.’
• Break up the videos into smaller pieces so you can get more content out of them
• You don’t need to use overproduced, professionally shot videos – people are used to watching video on their phones, and most authentic content is created on them as well – we can help you select the right technology partner for this type of content

Leverage Company Reviews and Employee Insights

You can showcase what current and former employees have to say about your company by integrating or hardcoding Glassdoor and Indeed reviews on to your job descriptions, relevant to the job type and location of the role. This gives a first-person view of what it’s like to start at, work at, and leave your company. While lackluster or negative reviews can’t be removed on these platforms, the more positive reviews you get can certainly help to improve your ratings and move the neutral or negative reviews down. Data shows that candidates are likely going to review these sites anyway, so you may as well be proactive and add reviews to your jobs. If you’re reluctant to integrate all reviews, you can hardcode the positive ones only. We always encourage healthcare organizations to solicit their employees directly to give positive reviews of working there.

Another way to show what your employees think about working at your company is to display the results of your employee engagement, satisfaction, and wellness surveys or any other surveys you use to gauge the employee experience. This data is best conveyed in an infographic style that’s engaging and dynamic.

Highlight Location Information

Every job description should include information about the physical location of the job, specific to the requisition. Jobs in multiple locations that use a single Requisition ID will need to accommodate all locations, but in general, we don’t recommend bundling jobs by location. Detailed location information is important for candidates and search engines. Here are some ways to highlight your locations in unique ways:

• Showcase awards, innovation, and technology specific to the location or facility
• Introduce leadership, clinical and unit teams, and service employees
• Include content that highlights community support, local event participation and sponsorship, and how you foster a collaborative and inclusive culture that focuses on giving back
• Show benefits, local amenities, lifestyle, and maps specific to the area
• Show Chamber of Commerce links or content specific to the city you’re hiring in. If applicable, show information on relocation assistance and how you help to ensure a smooth transition from another facility.

Create Calls-to-Action that Convert

Learn More, Click Here, Submit, and Apply Now are all generic, uncreative ways to ask a user to take action. Consider these rules for selecting the right words on button labels and links to encourage users to get to know you in greater detail, connect with you, or to start an application:

• Use action verbs that tells users exactly what they can do by clicking – "Read more about Nursing at ABC Healthcare" and "Start Your Application" are strong
• Highlight what users can gain by taking action – be persuasive
• Use precise diction and context so your request is not misinterpreted – don’t say "Apply" if it’s not the start of an application; create urgency when needed with words like "Instant" or "Today"
• Personalize action with "You" and "Your"
• Spark interest and curiosity with words like "Discover" or "Explore"
• Contrast button colors and fonts to make them stand out, and use hover states
• A/B Test different styles and text to gauge performance (make sure you test on mobile devices)

Inspire Your Output with AI

Notice how we didn’t advise you to use AI to write your job descriptions, only to inspire. Not only will candidates know if you do, but Google and Bing (whose desktop market share is at an all-time high at almost 18%) will penalize you for it. And the bot versus bot war between corporate hiring software using AI to qualify candidates and job applicants robo-applying to hundreds of jobs in seconds with a few clicks is not one we want you to start on another front. Here are a few ways AI can help to enhance your job descriptions:

• Optimize for Keyword Matching - AI can analyze successful past hires and job postings to identify keywords that resonate with top candidates. It can then suggest incorporating those keywords naturally into the job title, description, and technical data.
• Remove Unnecessary Jargon - AI can identify overly technical language that might deter qualified candidates. It can suggest simpler phrasing that conveys the same information but increases readability for a wider audience.
• Personalize Based on Role, Department, or Unit - AI can analyze departmental needs and responsibilities based on the data you put into the model. It can then tailor descriptions within the same field (nursing, physical therapy, IT) to highlight specific content or career paths relevant to each position.
• A/B Test - AI can analyze candidate behavior on career websites. It can then suggest A/B testing different versions of the job description to see which one attracts the most qualified applicants.
• Generate Action Verbs - AI can analyze successful job postings that converted job seekers to applicants and applicants to employees and identify strong action verbs that helped. It can then suggest where to add those verbs to ensure a better chance of conversion.
• Generate Data-Driven Salary Ranges (if your policy allows) - AI can analyze market data and internal salary structures to suggest competitive and realistic salary ranges for each position. This fosters transparency and attracts qualified candidates who understand the compensation.
• Create Video Snippets - AI can analyze existing company long-form videos and create short, scripted video snippets showcasing the work environment and team culture. Integrating these snippets into the job description can provide a more engaging and informative experience for potential applicants. These short-form videos can also be used for social posts and answers to FAQs.

Common Mistakes When Crafting Job Descriptions

We see clients make these mistakes often, so be aware that they can individually and collectively have a great effect on job visibility, engagement, and conversion:

• Writing job titles for recruiters to find on your career site (job titles including complicated job titles, requisition number unit number, facility name) – your audience is candidates, not recruiters
• Including city name, roman numerals, hours, dashes or other special characters, or internal codes in the job title – you don’t need all these terms in your job title since they are in other parts of the job description or only for an internal audience
• Not leveraging ATS flexibility in terms of brand, design, content, and personalization if it’s available to you
• Generic responsibilities – if the responsibilities sound like they can be applied to any healthcare organization, they need to be enhanced - use this opportunity to tell a story about the role
• Making job descriptions too short or too long – optimal word count is 400
• Internal language – don’t assume applicants know your internal acronyms and vocabulary - avoid using language only your employees understand without giving an explanation
• Jargon overload – keep it clear and concise, avoid terms that may confuse candidates
• Unrealistic expectations – be honest about the responsibilities and expectations
• One-size-fits-all approach – don’t add videos, profiles, other content that’s not right for a specific role just because you have it - tailor your job descriptions to the specific job, audience, and location
• Not tagging and measuring how your job descriptions are performing so you can optimize as needed

By following these steps, you can craft healthcare job descriptions that attract top talent in a competitive market. It requires a holistic approach that combines SEO, authentic content, UX, personalization, multimedia, reviews, insight, and facility and community information. Remember, a well-written description is an investment in your employer brand. It showcases your commitment to a positive work environment, professional growth, and ultimately, the delivery of exceptional patient care.