You want to attract the best applicants for your open position, and that all starts with your hospitality job description.

A well-written job post will give candidates a clear idea of what the role entails, what your company has to offer, and what qualifications they need to get their resume to the top of the pile.

Curious about what goes into an effective job listing? We’re sharing 10 must-know tips to craft a hospitality job description that appeals to top applicants—without misleading them. Grab the full list of best practices here: 

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With these strategies, you can stop stressing over writing your job listing and channel more attention into what matters: Finding the best candidates. 

Want a sneak peek? Below this section, we’re digging into the first five tips to help you advertise a job in the hospitality industry. 

 

1. Choose the Right Job Title

The job title isn’t the place to flex your creative muscles. Vague or clever titles can not only be confusing to applicants, but they also mean your open position won’t show up as readily in search results. 

Just think: A job seeker is far more likely to search for a “Hotel Concierge” position than something like, “Guest Experience Guru.” 

 

2. Speak Directly to Candidates

Make your job description more personalized and action-oriented by using “you” and “we” language. Speaking in the third person can not only be awkward, it also seems stuffy, corporate, and doesn’t inspire any sort of personal connection to your company. 

Here’s an example to illustrate the difference. When speaking in third person, you might say, “AgencyXYZ is a travel agency focused on delivering memorable travel experiences. The ideal candidate will work directly with clients to fulfill this mission.”

A better example is, “We are a travel agency focused on delivering memorable travel experiences. You will work directly with clients to fulfill this mission.” See the difference? 

 

3. Stay Focused on Core Qualifications

When you’re writing a hospitality job description, it’s tempting to start a laundry list of absolutely everything you want an applicant to have—as if you’re designing your perfect candidate.

For example, your bartender should have at least 10 years of experience with craft cocktails. They should have a mixology certification. They should be creative and innovative when it comes to developing new recipes.

It’s nice to dream, but keep in mind that most candidates view those qualifications as boxes they absolutely need to check in order to apply. Some studies estimate that women won’t apply unless they meet 100% of the qualifications, while men need to meet at least 60% before applying.

While you want your description to target the most qualified applicants, you could be ruling out some excellent people with requirements that are too lofty. Stay focused on the ones that are essential for that position. If you feel strongly about including others, consider putting them in a “preferred, but not required” category. 

 

4. Include a Payment Range

Research from LinkedIn found that compensation is the most important part of the job description for job seekers—it’s where their eyes go first. Yet, many companies neglect to include wage information in their job ads. 

If you can get specific about how much the job pays, do so. At the very least, include a payment range. This will help you target the best-fit candidates and avoid going through the entire hiring process only to realize your pay expectations don’t match. 

 

5. Avoid Jargon

We’re looking for a GSM to manage our CRM and RMS, upsell guests on package upgrades, and revamp our WBE. 

When you’ve been in the hospitality industry for a while, jargon and acronyms like those become second-nature. However, they might not be as obvious to your job applicants. 

For that reason, avoid industry lingo in your job listings and focus on clarity. It’s also helpful to avoid overly-flowery language (like “world-class” and other hyperbolic terms) so that you keep the focus on what matters most: the job-specific information. 

What else do you need to know to write a compelling hospitality job description that appeals to the most qualified candidates? Get the full list of tips delivered directly to your inbox. 

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