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MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hiring can be tough, and the difficulty starts with writing a good job description, a new survey from The Creative Group suggests. When advertising and marketing executives were asked to name the greatest challenge when developing job descriptions, 28 percent of respondents said identifying the necessary interpersonal and soft skills. The next biggest stumbling blocks: separating essential versus preferred duties and accurately describing job responsibilities, each cited by 24 percent of respondents.

The national survey was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service for interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "In your opinion, which of the following is the greatest challenge when developing job descriptions for open positions at your company?" Their responses:

View an infographic of the research highlights.

"A well-written job description can mean the difference between a trickle or a flurry of qualified applicants," said Diane Domeyer, executive director of The Creative Group. "Conversely, a poorly written job description can significantly expand the quantity of unqualified applicants. Writing a good job description requires an ability to prioritize essential skills and qualities while also 'selling' your company to job seekers."

The Creative Group offers five tips for developing an effective job description:

1. Look ahead. Most creative jobs are far different from what they were a few years ago. Job descriptions, therefore, should take into account the expanded skill sets now required. Think about what the job should entail based on your company's current needs and long-term objectives.
2. Prioritize. A laundry list of duties gives little insight into what is most important to the employer. Focus on the five or six most crucial skills or qualities for the position; consider consulting high-performing employees in the same role for help developing this list.
3. Don't hunt for unicorns. Make sure your job description is realistic for the role -- seeking out a creative director who also can write press releases and sell advertising will greatly limit your pool of qualified applicants.
4. Show some personality. While you want to use clear and concise language, you also should give applicants a sense of your company's culture. Turn to your creative team or a copywriter if you need help choosing the right words.
5. Tap the experts. Developing a job description from scratch? You can find sample job descriptions, like those featured in The Creative Group 2014 Salary Guide, that outline basic requirements and responsibilities, which you can then customize to fit your business's unique needs.

About the Survey
The national study was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 400 telephone interviews -- approximately 300 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 100 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

About The Creative Group
The Creative Group (TCG) specializes in placing a range of highly skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project and full-time basis. More information, including online job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and TCG's blog, can be found at creativegroup.com.

SOURCE The Creative Group