Chat GPT is a great tool but in order to create accurate job descriptions that attract the most qualified candidates there needs to be customization and thoughtful human intervention.
Here is a short guide to write an effective job description using Chat GPT
Click here for free access to our expanded step-by-step user guide
Chat GPT and generative AI have taken the world by storm. According to a CNBC article citing research done by ResumeBuilder, over half of business leaders are already using AI for various tasks.
An additional 30% who are not currently using it said they plan to do so in the future. A few months ago, I remember hearing about Chat GPT for the first time. A neighbor of mine asked me “have you heard of this Chat GPT thing?" It’s pretty cool it’s AI you can ask it stuff and it will give you answers”
For an early understanding of the tool, that was an accurate assessment. My first exposure to the tool was when my neighbor showed me ChatGPT in action. He asked it to complete a story from a prompt he gave with some details around characters and plot. The request was outlandish - and as we laughed at the story results, the gears in my head started turning…
I thought "this could be used for writing job descriptions in our job description software Mosh JD". We decided to immediately include the capability in our job description software through API to make it available to our users.
However, including Chat GPT in our job description software to write job descriptions doesn’t mean that the resulting JDs will be accurate and exceptional. There are strategies to implement when using Chat GPT to write job descriptions that help ensure compliance, accuracy, and effectiveness of the resulting job description.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to write an effective job description using Chat GPT.
What is Chat GPT?
Chat GPT (GPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer) is a artificial intelligence powered chatbot developed by OpenAI. It is a language-based AI that is trained to understand and interpret a massive amount of text data and generate human like-text in response.
The tool can perform language-related tasks which include interpreting patterns related to data to generate responses to questions, provide explanations, carry out conversations, and more.
In short - picture Chat GPT as a Google search that can talk back to you. Instead of typing in keywords into Google search and combing the results to find results that match your query, you can prompt Chat GPT with a question and it will provide answers based on the prompt given after analyzing a massive amount of data. The tool is impressive but it’s important to note that generative AI is still in its infancy. Chat GPT has limitations, as its data sets only go back as far as 2021.
However, it does provide HR leaders with a great resource especially related to generating content for things like interview questionnaires, performance assessment templates, and job descriptions. You can visit OpenAI's website to try out Chat GPT here.
How to use Chat GPT to write a job description
Chat GPT will provide a great base to develop job descriptions and provide useful content that can articulate job responsibilities, competencies, and requirements. This can come in handy when writing a job description for a new position.
However, there is a need for human intervention in order to customize the job description to your specific role requirements and brand the JD to reflect the company’s culture.
Step 1 - Start with a job description template
Job description templates are a great way to standardize job description architecture and ensure that all required content is captured.
Job description templates should be designed as a collaborative effort between HR leadership, compensation, and hiring managers to ensure all sections needed are captured.
A job description template would be consistent across job families and lay out the structure of the job descriptions in that family.
For example, a medical nursing group will likely have the same job description template for all nursing roles in that discipline or department. Some examples of sections include:
- Company about us section
- Position summary
- Duties and responsibilities
- Compensation
- EEO statement
Once the architecture is determined, the next step is to identify requirements for internal stakeholders.
Step 2 - Gather information from internal stakeholders
Collaborating with internal stakeholders is a critical step in the job description management process. The hiring manager and employees who perform the role now have the best insights into what it actually takes to be successful in that position.
Gather that information so that you have a thorough understanding of the requirements for the role prior to using Chat GPT.
The goal here is to ensure the job description is accurate and current with the required skills in order to attract candidates who fit the organization's needs.
In addition, collaborate with other HR team members about what's required to be in the job description from a legal perspective, as well as what the company would like to include in the “about us” section.
Be sure to include your compensation team members to properly benchmark and price the job.
By ensuring requirements are accurately understood prior to approaching compensation, HR leaders and team members can ensure fair, accurate, and competitive compensation for that role, aligning compensation with your hiring strategy.
Once complete, it’s time to do some editing and write the job description with Chat GPT.
Step 3 - Prompt Chat GPT to write all or part of the job description
Now it’s time to write the job description!
The quality of the results ChatGPT will deliver largely depends on the quality of the prompt provided. A great start is to simply ask Chat GPT to “write me a job description for (insert job title here)”
The results, as you will see, will be generic. If that fits what you are looking for, you can simply copy the text and then edit it from there.
However, Chat GPT can provide a lot more specific information that may assist in writing pieces or sections of your job description.
Here are a few sample prompts that could be helpful in your job description design:
Establish a set of core competencies that are required for success in a (roles name).
Could you provide a detailed description of the responsibilities and duties for a (job title) position?
Can you highlight the skills and qualifications required for a (job title) role and how they relate to the responsibilities of the position?
Could you suggest any additional requirements or expectations that we should consider for (job title) based on industry standards or regulations?
Write me an EEO statement.
Help me outline safety and health requirements for this job that comply with OSHA regulations
Write me a physical requirement section that complies with ADA regulations
Write me a statement for a job description that complies with FLSA
Select the content that fits your requirements and organization best and tailor it from there. Once a draft job description is completed a self and peer review should be done to check for language bias and grammar edits.
Step 4 - Scan the job description for errors and inclusive language
Although it is a great tool, one of the downfalls of Chat GPT is its inability to detect bias in its own responses.
This has documented by organizations like Forbes and even by Chat GPT itself. In our article "Benefits vs risks of using Chat GPT to write job descriptions- according to Chat GPT" the language model admitted that bias was one of the risks of using the tool.
Caution should be taken when using Chat GPT as there may be unintended bias injected into your job description that can put off candidates who are applying for your role.
It's best practice to self-review and peer-review job descriptions for bias. Deploy the use of AI scanning tools from companies like Sappling to detect potential biases in your text.
Once a self review is complete, get a second set of eyes to ensure the job description is accurate, free of grammatical errors and bias.
The next step is to send it to HR team members and internal stakeholders for review and feedback. Then publish the job description.
Step 5 - Send the job description for review to internal stakeholders and then publish
Before publishing the final copy of the job description, send the job description out to HR team members, hiring managers, and other internal stakeholders for their input.
This will ensure the job description is accurate to the position requirements and reflects the company culture/legal requirements.
Once all edits are complete publish the job description. As the job description ages and job role requirements change there will need to be updates made. In order to document and understand what changes were made, when, and by whom it's best practice to create and manage job descriptions in a job description software or application like google docs that comes with version history.
This will enable companies to understand what changes have been made over time, which version is the most current, and how long it has been since the job description has been updated.
Chat GPT is a great tool for job descriptions but still needs human intervention.
Chat GPT can save a ton of time with a variety of HR related tasks like writing job descriptions.
However, in order to make the job description exceptional human intervention is still required to make the job description accurate, inclusive, and branded to the company. By following these steps organizations can use Chat GPT to enhance their job description management process and create job descriptions that become a valuable asset in their workforce strategy.
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