One of the first steps to finding the right apprentice or trainee for your organisation is to write a position description that outlines the role you are trying to fill.
This may be easier said than done, particularly if you’ve never advertised for an apprenticeship or traineeship position before. Fortunately, there are plenty of useful resources and tools online to help your business get started.
For example, sign up with Apprenticeship Central and you can access the Position Builder, which is designed to streamline the entire process. There are also useful FAQs and tips to give you more information on the procedures involved in hiring an apprentice or trainee.
Meanwhile here are four tips you may want to keep in mind when building a position description for your current role.
1. Choose the right qualification
Before committing any words to paper – or the electronic equivalent – you should make sure you select the right apprenticeship or traineeship qualification for your business.
There are hundreds to choose from, so contact an Australian Apprenticeships Centre such as BUSY At Work for guidance on which one will most likely entice the candidates that you’re looking for.
2. Consider your job title
This may seem obvious, but you should put some thought into what your job title will be. Not only must it be accurate and attention grabbing, it should use terms that candidates are most likely to search for.
3. Keep responsibilities concise
While it’s important to provide as much information to the candidate as possible, you don’t want the job description to be a huge wall of text. A couple of sentences outlining the main responsibilities of the position should be sufficient.
It is also a good idea to give an indication of the management structure and who the candidate will be reporting to. This will give them a better idea of their day-to-day schedule.
4. Put the candidate first
Academic research from scientists at the University of Calgary, the University of Vermont and the University of Saskatchewan recently revealed job descriptions that cater to the candidates’ needs attract a higher calibre of applicant.
For example, rather than demanding skills – ‘The successful candidate must have good spelling and grammar’ – businesses should try to show how they can support an employee’s personal development. This may include outlining opportunities for advancement or other perks of the position.
