Writing a brief that attracts the right shortlist

Start with accountability, not requirements

Most job descriptions open with a list of technologies, qualifications or years of experience. Candidates who are genuinely in demand read that list as a filter, not an invitation. The more useful opening is a single sentence describing what the person will be accountable for and how that will be judged twelve months in.

Once accountability is clear, the requirement list can be cut substantially. Requirements that do not serve the accountability are usually inherited from a previous version of the role and quietly narrow the field.

Separate the essential from the preferred, honestly

Every brief distinguishes essential from desirable criteria. Few do it accurately. A practical test: if a candidate met every essential criterion but no desirable ones, would you interview them? If not, the list is wrong.

This matters beyond convenience. Over-specified essentials reduce the pool disproportionately, and the effect falls hardest on candidates from non-linear career paths.

Define the process before the first approach

Candidates withdraw from processes that feel improvised. Agree the number of stages, who is involved, what each stage assesses, and the intended turnaround between stages before anyone is approached.

A defined process also protects the hiring team. When feedback is structured against agreed criteria, comparison between candidates becomes possible and the final decision is defensible.

Be specific about compensation early

Withholding a range until final stages does not preserve negotiating position; it wastes the time of everyone whose expectations sit outside it. Agree an internal range before going to market, and be clear about what is fixed and what is genuinely negotiable.