Job Description vs Job Advertising: Why Confusing the Two Is Costing You Your Best Hires

Imagine you are looking for a restaurant for an important dinner.

Would you rather read the chef’s technical brief (“Mastery of cooking techniques, stock management, HACCP compliance”) or an enticing invitation (“Come and experience our creative cuisine in an intimate setting, where every dish tells a story”)?

That is exactly the difference between publishing a raw job description and crafting a genuine job advertising.

And yet, many organisations still publish their internal documentation directly, believing this will help them “recruit effectively”.

The result?

→ Cold, impersonal job ads

→ Little differentiation

→ Applications mainly from “default” candidates

And too often, they miss out on high‑quality profiles… simply because those candidates do not recognise themselves in what they read.

What if I told you there is a structured way to turn your internal HR tools into real talent magnets?

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Job Description vs Job Advertising: Two Tools, Two Purposes

The Job Description: Your Internal GPS

A job description is your managerial compass.

It answers one simple question:

“What do we need internally for the organisation to function effectively?”

Its key characteristics:

• Technical and precise language: detailed responsibilities, required skills, reporting lines
• Organisational perspective: the role’s place within the team and structure
• Objective criteria: skills, experience level, responsibilities
• Standardised format: consistent across all roles in the company

A job description is like an architect’s blueprint: essential for building and managing — but not very inspiring when it comes to making people want to live there.

The Job Advertising: Your Shop Window

A job advertising answers a completely different question:

“Why would someone want to join us — here and now?”

It is a communication tool, almost a marketing one.

Its key characteristics:

• Accessible, engaging language: benefits, projection, storytelling
• Aspirational perspective: impact, contribution, future opportunities
• Balanced value exchange: what you offer as much as what you expect
• Adaptable format: depending on the channel (LinkedIn, careers site, job board)

A job ad is the house tour: it makes people want to step inside, imagine themselves there, and commit.

Why This Distinction Changes Everything (Far Beyond Recruitment)

Confusing a job description with a job advertising is not just a matter of style or wording.

It often leads to:

• Longer hiring timelines
• Managers frustrated by the quality of applications
• Teams remaining under pressure for longer than necessary

Finally Making HR Data Work for You

By clearly separating the two tools, you create a far more robust HR ecosystem:

• Reliable job descriptions to manage skills, development and training
• Managerial consistency between HR, managers and employees
• Clear traceability of role evolution aligned with strategy

In short: you stop patching things together and start building structure.

The Job Advertising as an Employer Brand Lever

A job ad does not just recruit one person.

It is read by dozens — sometimes hundreds — of potential candidates.

Even those who do not apply will form an opinion of:

• Your culture
• Your HR maturity
• The way you work

Every job ad is therefore a strategic statement — and one that is often underused.

The TRANSFORM Framework: From Job Description to an Attractive Job Ad (With Examples)

Here is a method you can use to turn an internal job description into an engaging job advertising, without sacrificing HR rigour.

T – Translate Technical Jargon

Objective: shift from internal language to candidate‑focused language.

• ❌ “Optimisation of logistics processes”
• ✅ “You streamline our deliveries to improve our customers’ experience”

The substance remains — the perspective changes.

R – Reveal Impact and Purpose

Why does this role really exist?

• ❌ “Reporting to the Marketing Manager”
• ✅ “Your role is key to supporting our growth over the next two years”

Candidates increasingly want to know why they matter, not just what they do.

A – Add the Company’s Personality

A job ad without personality attracts generic applications.

• ❌ “Fast‑growing, dynamic company”
• ✅ “Here, we test, adjust, and value progress over perfection”

Show how you truly work — not how every company describes itself.

N – Name the Candidate Benefits Clearly

This is often the most overlooked element.

Ask yourself: “Why would someone say yes?”

• Challenging projects
• Real autonomy
• Career development opportunities
• Working environment

Example:

“You will have the freedom to propose, test and measure your ideas, with a dedicated budget.”

S – Structure for Fast Reading

A good job ad can be skim‑read.

• Clear headings
• Short paragraphs
• Bullet points
• Subtle emojis where appropriate (LinkedIn)

A dense ad does not have to be complicated.

F – Formulate an Engaging Call to Action

“Send CV + cover letter” engages no one.

• ❌ “Please send your application”
• ✅ “Tell us about a project you are particularly proud of”

You are already starting to build a relationship.

O – Optimise for Different Channels

A job ad is not read the same way everywhere.

• LinkedIn: hook + projection
• Job boards: clarity + structure
• Careers site: culture + long‑term vision

One job ad, multiple versions.

R – Review Through the Candidate’s Eyes

Ask yourself one simple question:

“Does this make me want to click — and then apply?”

If the answer is lukewarm, the market response will be too.

M – Measure and Iterate

A job ad is never set in stone.

• Analyse the number of qualified applications
• Ask candidates what attracted them
• Adjust the title, promise or overly restrictive criteria

A high‑performing job ad becomes a powerful signal detector in your talent market.

Real‑Life Example: Transformation in Action

❌ BEFORE: The Raw Job Description

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER – Permanent Contract

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement the digital marketing strategy
• Manage SEA/SEO campaigns
• Run corporate social media channels
• Analyse KPIs and produce monthly reports
• Manage a team of two

Profile:

• Master’s degree in digital marketing
• Minimum 5 years’ experience
• Proficient in Google Ads, Analytics and social media
• Fluent English

Conditions:

• Salary based on profile
• Health insurance, meal vouchers
• Role based in Lyon

✅ AFTER: The Transformed Job Advertising

Join Our Digital Growth Journey: Digital Marketing Manager

Your mission? Drive our growth through digital.

At [Company name], a leading French player in [industry], we believe digital marketing is not just a tool — it is the engine of tomorrow’s success.

What you will experience:

• Lead our digital strategy: design and roll out campaigns reaching 50,000 qualified prospects
• Measure your impact: your insights directly shape business decisions
• Develop a team: coach and grow two marketing talents
• Constant innovation: test the latest trends (AI, marketing automation…) with a dedicated budget

Your profile:

A strategist with an experimental mindset. You know how to turn data into growth and have successfully scaled digital campaigns over the past 4–5 years.

Then we should meet.

What we offer:

Autonomy — budget and freedom to experiment

Growth — continuous learning and development opportunities

People — a supportive team and feedback‑driven culture

Flexibility — two days remote per week, modern offices in Lyon Part‑Dieu

Ready to accelerate with us?

Share your vision of tomorrow’s digital marketing with us.

Your Immediate Action Plan

For your next hires:

1. Keep job descriptions as internal management tools
2. Create dedicated job advertising designed for candidates
3. Test the real impact on application quality
4. Build on what works for future recruitment

The difference between a job description and a job ad is not about form.

It is the difference between enduring recruitment and actively steering it in line with your strategy.

So today, do your job ads truly reflect what your organisation has to offer?

Conclusion: Recruitment Is Not Just an HR Issue — It’s an Alignment Issue

Recruitment is not simply about “filling a role”.

It is about translating a vision, business needs and culture into a clear and desirable proposition for the talent market.

When job descriptions and job advertising are confused, companies do not lack candidates.

They lack clarity, projection and alignment between internal reality and external messaging.

When the job description fully plays its role as an internal reference, and the job ad becomes a true communication tool, recruitment stops being reactive.

It becomes a strategic lever — serving performance, engagement and the company’s long‑term trajectory.

And that is precisely where we step in: helping organisations clarify their real needs, structure their roles, and translate that reality into attractive, coherent messages for today’s — and tomorrow’s — talent.

If your recruitment feels slow, time‑consuming or disconnected from your strategy, it may not be a candidate issue.

More often, it is a matter of clarity, method and readability.

And that can be worked on.