Is Your Job Description Turning Great FM Candidates Away?

Job descriptions are one of the most underrated tools in facilities management recruitment. But in today’s market, where skilled candidates are in high demand, a poorly written or outdated job spec could be doing more harm than good. At 300 North, we work closely with FM leaders and hiring teams every day, and we’ve seen how small changes to a job description can significantly enhance candidate engagement, diversity, and retention.

So today, we’re digging into what makes a job description appealing (or off-putting), why this matters more than ever in FM, and how you can use data-driven decisions to make your vacancies stand out.

Leadership Insight: A Human-Centric Approach to Job Descriptions

Traditional job descriptions were focused almost entirely on the business's needs. But according to Leadership 4.0 thinking, particularly theories from human-centric design and inclusive leadership, the most effective leaders are those who align organisational goals with personal motivation. That starts with communication.

Modern leaders in FM must see job descriptions not as HR admin, but as strategic messaging. They should answer: Why would someone want to do this job? How will they grow? Who will they become as a result?

How Job Descriptions are affecting FM recruitment?

1. Too Generic – Too Forgettable

Many FM job descriptions use boilerplate language that’s overly generic:

“We’re looking for a motivated self-starter to join our dynamic team…”

This doesn’t tell candidates anything unique about the role or your organisation. In a sector with high competition and rising salaries, vague listings fail to stand out.

2. Missing the 'What’s In It for Me?'

FM professionals want to know what they’ll get in return for their skills - not just in salary, but in culture, progression, flexibility, and purpose. Job descriptions should include:

- Opportunities for training or promotion
- The kind of contracts or estates managed
- Any flexibility or hybrid options
- How the company supports work-life balance

3. Jargon Can Alienate Good Candidates

Too much technical language or acronyms (like "BMS", "HVAC", "HTM" without explanation) can deter otherwise capable applicants, particularly those from adjacent industries or early in their FM career.

4. Excluding Language Narrows Your Talent Pool

Phrases like "young and energetic", "must be able to lift heavy equipment", or even "native English speaker" (unless job-critical) can be discriminatory under UK law and will also reduce your diversity in hiring.

What Makes a Great Job Description in Facilities Management?

- Be Transparent

A very important one to include where possible - salary range, benefits, shift details, and contract length up front. Candidates increasingly skip listings that leave this vague.

- Speak to Career Goals

Frame tasks in terms of impact:

“Manage a team of 6 engineers across NHS estates” is more compelling than “Line management of technical team.”

- Prioritise Inclusion

Use gender-neutral language and tools like Gender Decoder to test phrasing.

- Describe Culture and Values

Don’t just describe what they’ll do, describe how they’ll do it - and why. Mentioning sustainability initiatives, internal awards, or DEI programmes all help.

Top Tips

For Job Seekers: When reviewing job descriptions, don’t be afraid to ask questions if something is vague. If a company isn’t clear about salary, flexibility, or progression, it’s worth considering how they’ll communicate once you're in the role.

For Hiring Managers: Review your last three job descriptions. Are they clear? Inclusive? Do they explain why someone would want to work with you? If not, it’s time for a refresh, or to speak to us about how we can help.

Final Thoughts

Over the past 12 months, we've noticed a trend that should make every FM leader sit up: candidates are becoming far more selective, and job descriptions are often the first filter.

In our conversations FM managers, Projects specialists & Fire Safety experts tell us the same thing - they’re not just looking for a job, they’re looking for alignment. They want a role where they feel valued, understand what’s expected, and can see themselves progressing. And if the job description doesn’t show them that, they move on.

We recently worked with a client in the public sector struggling to attract strong applicants for an account manager role. We reviewed the job spec, which was over six pages long - full of internal jargon and missing basic information like salary and benefits. We rewrote it to focus on outcomes, added a salary range, and described their commitment to upskilling their team. Applications increased by 46% in two weeks.

The key takeaway? You can’t afford to treat job descriptions as an afterthought. They’re marketing tools, and when done well, they not only attract better candidates but also reduce early turnover, because expectations are clearer from the start.

If you're struggling to fill FM roles, the first place to look might not be the talent pool - it might be your own job advert.

• info@300nr.co.uk

• 0113 336 5161