The Must-Read Articles for Talent Professionals This Week

“On the spectrum of managerial chores,” Harvest Business Review writes in a recent article, “writing a job description probably falls somewhere between conducting employee performance reviews and filing expense reports — high on tedium, low on immediate gratification.”

Many talent pros can likely relate to this sentiment, but then put yourself in a candidate’s shoes: What does it feel like to read a job description that was written with the same enthusiasm as one feels in, say, going to the dentist? Likely not great, which can impact application rates and the quality of applicants to your open roles.

This is all to say that many job descriptions likely need a facelift — for the sake of both those who write and read them. Luckily, HBR has put together a list of eight tips to help write more engaging job descriptions that encourage the right candidates to apply.

Chief among those tips? Don’t be boring. “Get creative,” HR consultant Tyrone Smith Jr. tells HBR. “People want to join organizations that are forward-thinking and innovative.” This doesn’t mean companies should get wild and zany in their job ads for no reason or in a way that doesn’t feel authentic. But even adding multimedia elements or video into the description can help perk up a candidate’s attention.

To find out what other job description tips HBR has to offer (spoiler: highlighting autonomy may be key to attracting younger candidates), be sure to check out the top spot in our list below of must-read articles for talent professionals. And further down our list, you can also learn who is the true MVP of elite hiring teams; why HR pros should say no to rote work in 2025; and what are the fastest-growing jobs around the globe.

Here are the must-read articles from this week: 

1. How to Write a Job Description That Actually Gets People to Apply (Harvard Business Review)

2. Turbocharging Organizational Learning with Gen AI (MIT Sloan Management Review)

3. The True MVP of Elite Hiring Teams — and Why It Isn’t a New Piece of Tech (Brian Fink on LinkedIn)

4. Fascinating Insight: 59% of Workers Prefer a 4-Day Workweek in the Office Versus 5 Days Remote (Daan van Rossum on LinkedIn) 

5. Please STOP Doing Manual HR Work in 2025 (Jessie Schofer on LinkedIn)

6. The World’s Fastest-Growing Jobs in 2025 (LinkedIn Talent Blog)

7. Many Remote Workers Say They’d Be Likely to Leave Their Job If They Could No Longer Work from Home (Pew Research Center)

8. The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil (Lead with Inclusion)

9. If You’re Overwhelmed by the Idea of Measuring L&D’s Business Impact, Read This (David James on LinkedIn)

10. Why Managers Should Let Employees ‘Pitch’ Themselves for Promotions (Fast Company)

Here is the must-listen podcast:

How Will AI Shape the Future of People Analytics? (My HR Future)