February 11, 2025

Are you aware what makes an search engine optimisation keen to use for an open place and what makes them click on “again” faster than a visitor posting request e-mail?

I do. I’ve been reviewing 1000’s of job descriptions for open search engine optimisation positions for nearly a 12 months now. Some had been dangerous, many had been OK however few had been nice.

Right this moment, we take step one in addressing all of the above. No extra excuses for subpar job descriptions. You’ll discover ways to match nice candidates with nice firms.

5 of the most important errors search engine optimisation job descriptions comprise

Are you aware why folks view your description and select to not apply? You may be shocked at what turns potential functions off earlier than speaking to them. 

Beneath are a number of gadgets that search engine optimisation professionals dislike about job descriptions based mostly on my Linkedin and Twitter polls that acquired greater than 500 responses.

Twitter poll results
Twitter poll results

1. Lack of wage transparency

We get it, not each firm pays the highest of the market. Nevertheless, not posting a wage vary and hoping you will get candidates in your interview course of with guarantees of “we’ve a household tradition” and “we’ve beer on faucet” isn’t going to work anymore.

Pay transparency has upsides past compliance. Up to 91% of job seekers stated that together with wage ranges in a job publish have an effect on their resolution to use, in keeping with a current LinkedIn survey.

Share your wage vary regardless what it’s. If your not aggressive than you possibly can additional leverage the remainder of the outline to elucidate why candidates ought to nonetheless think about you. 

Whereas all of us need to pay our payments, many candidates have an interest within the complete compensation bundle together with advantages.

Phrase of recommendation

Placing a wage vary that’s extraordinarily obscure might find yourself being worse than placing no wage vary in any respect.

Your first impression along with your candidates shouldn’t be merely assembly authorized necessities (if required in your state).

Job description with vague salary range

2. Lack of distant working flexibility

SEOs spend most of their day behind a pc display screen.

If there was any profit to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was realizing that in most situations, a distant work tradition might be simply as efficient as in-office working. That is very true for search engine optimisation roles.

Phrase of recommendation

Versatile working preparations are rapidly changing into an expectation and I’ve talked to many SEOs who would even take a decrease wage for this profit.

In case you can not provide a distant working association, think about the way you make up for this in different areas of compensation.

Job description with remote work arrangement

3. Off-putting terminology

Are you even an search engine optimisation if you happen to aren’t referred to as an “skilled,” “guru,” “ninja,” “professional” or “rockstar”? 

Please, let’s cease utilizing these. 

There are such a lot of methods to articulate the required skillsets for all roles starting from entry-level place all the best way of to VP of search engine optimisation.

Job description with off-putting terminology

Phrase of recommendation

Are you conscious that terminology equivalent to this may be thought-about gendered language?

4. Instructional necessities

No increased training establishment provides a devoted diploma in SEO. 

Setting the expectation that your future search engine optimisation wants each an undergraduate and graduate diploma will severely restrict your pool of candidates.

Those that do meet all of your increased academic necessities are prone to demand high compensation.

Job description with minimum education requirement

Phrase of recommendation

Rethink your training necessities in favor of real-life and confirmed search engine optimisation expertise.

Deal with testing your candidates’ search engine optimisation data much like how you’d some other technical position.

4. Multi-channel skillset requirement (vs. nice-to-have)

You’ve eliminated the requirement for having a masters diploma in astrophysics on your open search engine optimisation position, that’s an amazing step ahead. 

Now, we have to deal with that your search engine optimisation job place requires people to not solely be environment friendly in SEO however additionally equally skilled in paid promoting, affiliate internet marketing, e-mail advertising, social media, and at the least a bronze medal in ice skating from the final Winters Olympics.

Does having multi-channel advertising expertise present you some advantages relating to the natural search channel? Positive! 

However these are expertise that needs to be sussed out in the course of the interview course of and assist differentiate a very good from nice candidate.

Job description with multi-channel skill set requirement

Phrase of recommendation

Mentioning that extra consideration will probably be given to candidates with multi-channel advertising expertise will seemingly improve your candidates.

Making it a requirement will solely scale back the variety of candidates that will in any other case be absolutely certified for the position.


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Reviewing a world-class search engine optimisation job description

Within the 1000’s of search engine optimisation job descriptions we have reviewed, one job description from the Upgrow staff continues to face out to me. 

I’ve saved the job listing live (regardless of now not needing to be stuffed) in order that I can share with folks on the lookout for an amazing instance.

Example of a world-class SEO job description

Before everything, let’s verify to see if this job description passes the “cringe check” (all the pieces we outlined above to keep away from):

✅ Base wage transparency.
✅ Distant working alternative.
✅ Clear expertise and training expectations.
✅ Prioritizes search engine optimisation channel, however upside for T-shape entrepreneurs.
❌ Minus one level to be used of “wizard warrior.” (We’re not all excellent!)

What makes this job description particular?

There are a number of parts inside this job description that transcend that of a typical job itemizing.

You will see why including only a few of those extras could make a distinction in making your search engine optimisation description stand out from the competitors.

Workforce hierarchy

Would not or not it’s nice to know precisely the place a “Sr. Supervisor” place at this firm sits inside its hierarchy?  

This job itemizing not solely explains what’s anticipated of this position however the way it works throughout the ~5 totally different roles throughout the firm.

Is that this position a very good match for me?

Think about if you happen to might keep away from a number of rounds of interviews to search out out a part of the job merely is not a very good match? 

This job description outlines qualities of people who discover working at this firm superior and a few that will make this not the best match.

A clear hiring course of

In case you are like most individuals, you’ve got been by means of hiring processes which might be a single interview and a suggestion/no provide. On the flip aspect you might have gone by means of 4-5+ interviews to obtain a suggestion/no provide. 

This job itemizing goes the additional mile in outlining the whole hiring course of beginning with the net software during to the job provide/onboarding course of.

Let’s assist everybody win

Job descriptions aren’t simple to write down however neither is discovering a brand new job. 

Taking the time to articulate what the place requires however is clear with expectations and firm objectives, that it’ll solely make it simpler to rent.

Take a look at Search Engine Land’s weekly publish on “The newest jobs in search advertising” for extra examples of search advertising job listings or if you wish to submit your individual. 

Opinions expressed on this article are these of the visitor creator and never essentially Search Engine Land. Workers authors are listed right here.