Everything You Need to Know About Job Posting Requirements

In the US, nearly half of new hires (44%) regret their decision within a week of starting their new role. This can be a big problem for organizations who invest valuable resources into hiring the right people, only to have to start the process again a few months later.

While there are many stages involved in the recruitment process, accurate job descriptions serve a fundamental role in attracting and retaining top talent. Aside from providing clear and accurate information about the role being advertised, there are also certain things that must legally be included in a job posting, such as discrimination and data protection.

Learn more about what should—and shouldn’t—be included in a job posting and how to craft one that’ll attract (and retain) the right people to your organization.

Why Do Job Posting Requirements Matter?

A high-quality job posting with an accurate description of what the role entails can help attract quality candidates. For example, if a job description isn’t clear, you might end up with a heap of applications from people who are ill-suited or the lack crucial skills and qualifications to do the job. This can lead to wasted time sifting through resumes and interviewing.

With an accurate job posting, however, you can help ensure that the people who apply for the role are adequately experienced and aligned with your company culture. This can help to prevent candidate drop-off, making the recruitment process more efficient.

There are also certain legal requirements you need to follow when creating a job posting, which we’ll cover in more detail below. Knowing what these are before you create a posting can help ensure you don’t miss out any important details which could leave your company vulnerable.

How Do I Turn My Job Description into a Job Posting?

You can turn a job description into a job posting by summarizing the key responsibilities. You’ll also want to include information that’ll attract top candidates, such as company values, descriptions of any perks or benefits, essential skills, and a salary range.

You need full job descriptions for every position, so everyone—HR, managers, and employees—knows what’s expected in a specific role. This guarantees everyone’s on the same page and can be a real asset for guiding the team and honing their skills.

A job posting can be a lot shorter—an outline rather than a detailed account of everything the role entails.

What Happens If I Ignore Job Posting Requirements?

If your job posting doesn’t meet the requirements, you could face legal consequences. These requirements can vary depending on which state or country the company hires in, and even the location prospective employees are based in.

You Could Face Legal Consequences

Each state has its own specific laws around what needs to be included in a job posting. In some states, such as California, employers are required by law to disclose salary ranges when posting job advertisements if the company employs 15 people or more.

In Colorado, for example, all job postings must disclose compensation. This law also applies to companies outside of Colorado seeking to employ a Colorado resident, even if the posting is for a remote job. Several other states are also in the process of passing similar laws, so it pays to do your research before creating a job posting.

Your Organization Could Suffer

A poorly written job posting can result in bad hiring decisions. And if incorrect or misleading job postings are commonplace for your business, the employee experience may suffer. This added pressure could put employees at risk of leaving.

You Could Get Fewer Qualified Applicants

Just as employers have a list of criteria they want candidates to meet, job seekers also have particular things they are looking for when applying for a job. For example, a specific salary or salary range is often one of the first things job seekers look for when applying for a new role.

Additionally, upfront details about the role, unique benefits or perks of the job and a summary of your company culture can help attract candidates to your organization.

How Does Industry Affect Job Posting Requirements?

Sometimes candidates may be required to hold a professional license for certain regulated professions. So, it’s important to make sure these are requested on your job postings. For example, Virginia Department of Health Professions licenses and regulates over 500,000 healthcare practitioners across 62 professions.

Additionally, federal contractors and subcontractors must also comply with legislation set out by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). For example, the OFCCP require contractors and subcontractors to provide all workers and those seeking work with an equal opportunity to compete for jobs.

As part of the legislation, federal contractors are required to state in job advertisements that qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.

It’s important to respect the job expectations in different industries when crafting your job postings. Doing so can help attract the right candidates to your business who posses the necessary skills, training and experience. Additionally, adhering to industry standards in job postings can help to ensure you stay compliant.

How to Follow Job Posting Requirements

Take some time to ensure you’ve considered the laws, rules and regulations around job posting in your location and industry.

Understand Federal Laws Around Job Posting Requirements

Federal laws around job posting requirements are mainly in place to protect potential employees from discrimination based on certain characteristics. These include:

• Race
• Religion
• Gender or gender identity
• Sexual orientation
• Color
• National origin
• Veteran status.

Creating an inclusive workplace is important as it can help to foster a sense of belonging, which can increase morale and help you attract and retain top talent.

Understand Your Location’s Job Posting Requirements

As an employer, you need to understand what the rules are for your location before making a job posting. You should also check what laws are in place in other places if you’re advertising for remote workers.  For example, in the UK, you can’t advertise a job without a full breakdown of the position. All job advertisements must include:

• The full name of your organization
• If the job is temporary or permanent
• Be advertised in British English

Understand Your Industry’s Job Posting Requirements

Some industries will have additional requirements for job postings, such as those where employee health and safety concerns require specialized training or equipment, or where your company is a federal contractor, which we’ve mentioned above.

Frequently Asked Questions About Job Posting Requirements for Employers

Here are a few more questions to consider when it comes to your job postings:

1. Do I Have to List a Salary or Wage in a Posting?

As we’ve mentioned, this depends on your business’s location and where you’re recruiting, in some cases.

Even if it’s not a requirement, it can be good practice to list a salary range in a job posting. In fact, 67% of job seekers consider salary information to be important when applying for a job, so including one can help encourage better transparency .

2. Can You Limit Applicants to a Specific State or Region?

In short, yes. While there are many protected statuses that you can’t discriminate against, geographic location isn’t one of them. Many companies prefer to employ people in the same state, even if they are working remotely, for various reasons. These could include client meetings, familiarity with the region the business operates within and more. On the other hand, if you want to cast your recruitment net as wide as possible, consider recruiting internationally.

3. Do Job Posting Requirements Apply to Internal Job Positions?

There’s no blanket legal requirement to advertise job postings internally or externally. However, employers and managers should heed any collective agreements that may be in place to see if there’s a requirement to post internally before advertising to external applicants.

4. How Do You Announce an Internal Job Posting?

There are several ways to advertise a job posting internally. You should first check your company policy on hiring internally and the expectations of what should be included in the job description. Next, write a concise job description—this should include the title of the role, a summary of the job and the expected day-to-day responsibilities.

You should also include information about required qualifications and skills, the salary and any associated benefits and information about the team. You can then share this on the company job board, via email to the whole organization or to specific employees, and with hiring managers throughout the company.