Your Perfect Candidate Doesn't Exist. But Your Job Description Might Be the Reason You're Not Finding One.

Have you ever seen a job description that asks for 5 years of experience, expertise in 10 different skills, excellent communication, leadership qualities, industry knowledge and the ability to handle everything independently?

All for one position.

And then the hiring team wonders why suitable candidates aren't applying.

Here's something worth thinking about: Sometimes, the problem isn't the talent market. It's the expectations we're putting into the job description.

When a job description becomes a wish list

Many organisations create job descriptions by combining everything they would ideally want in an employee.

A little experience in this, advanced knowledge of that, expertise in another area and a few additional responsibilities that might come in handy someday.

The result?

A role that sounds like three different jobs combined into one.

Good candidates may decide not to apply because they don't meet every requirement. Others may apply, but the hiring team struggles to find someone who matches the entire list.

And the recruitment process becomes longer than expected.

What companies should rethink

Before publishing the next vacancy, hiring managers should ask themselves a few simple questions:

1. What does this person actually need to do?

Focus on the responsibilities that matter most in the first six months, rather than listing every possible task.

2. Which skills are essential, and which can be learned?

Not every desirable skill needs to be a mandatory requirement. Some capabilities can develop through training and experience.

3. Are we hiring for potential or just past experience?

A candidate may not have worked with your exact tools or processes but could still have the ability to perform the role successfully.

4. Does the salary match the expectations?

If a position demands multiple specialised skills and significant experience, compensation should reflect the level of responsibility.

Better hiring starts before the first interview

A good recruitment process doesn't begin when a recruiter starts searching for CVs.

It begins when the organisation clearly understands whom it needs, what that person will be responsible for and which capabilities genuinely matter.

A well-defined job description helps recruiters identify relevant talent, gives candidates a realistic picture of the opportunity and makes the selection process more focused.

The goal shouldn't be to find someone who ticks every box on an unrealistic checklist.

It should be to find someone who can genuinely succeed in the role.

At Right Advisors, we believe effective talent acquisition starts with understanding the role, the organisation and the people behind the requirement.

Because sometimes, finding the right person starts with asking the right questions about the job itself.

What do you think? Are companies expecting too much from a single job description, or are candidates becoming more selective?

Let's discuss.