We all know the importance of clarity in our communications. This becomes even moreso when recruiting people into your organization. If you’ve ever tried to explain your job to someone in an entirely removed field, you understand how difficult it can be to eliminate the insider jargon and to be specific. Try it out on your neighbour, hairdresser or grandmother. If you can’t explain it passionately and clearly in terms they can understand, you need to sharpen your pencil.

Here’s an example lifted from two advertisements appearing in the local career section:

Example 1:

The Specialist implements, leads and executes communications activities to achieve and maintain services standards, sales goals and other key objectives.

Example 2:

The Communications Officer will help refine and implement a marketing and communications strategy to increase community and public understanding of the work of the Foundation and opportunities for donor participation.

The second example does a better job of explaining how the marketing function supports the important work of the organization. You can bet it will also result in better matched applicants.