Job ads are available in many shapes and sizes, but there are a few simple rules each ad should follow to ensure that it attracts candidates who are suitable for this job.
Attractive position
The most obvious way to increase the number of viewers is to get the job done. Inside, the role can be known as “Grade 2,” but how many people will write it in the search box? If the candidate you want to attract is the type you would like to work as a PR executive then write the title “PR Executive”.
If you have access to a resume database, find CVs of the people you want to invite for an interview, and use the “Desired Job” box as the basis for your ad. If they want to work, that’s what they are likely to be looking for.
Define your structure
There is no specific format for how you describe the role of the task, but you should look for these elements:
Brief Introduction – Try to keep this in about 40 words and talk about the job, not about the company. This will help the reader quickly assess whether this is an appropriate role for them, attracting them to continue reading.
Role Responsibility – List of three to seven core tasks that the candidate is expected to undertake. Try to link them to business goals whenever possible so that the candidate can predict how the position fits into the company’s plans. For example, “Develop an email marketing program to help increase customer retention levels.” Remember that your ad is not a job feature, so you do not have to include every element of the role enough to get the right people to send their resume.
Face Specification – What skills, qualifications or qualities are you looking for in the ideal candidate? Try to divide them between what is necessary and what would be an advantage. If you hope to get a high level of CVs, you can afford to be less specific with your requirements, whereas if you only want a few high-quality candidates then be very clear about the strict criteria they have to meet. Jobseekers accept a literal announcement about this area, and you can dramatically influence the degree of response with just a few carefully selected words.
Prizes – As well as the salary information candidates can expect to receive, you also need to look for some of the major advantages and benefits they can hope for. What makes them want to apply for your role, not for a similar position with a competitor? Prizes should not be financial, so think about what flexible work schedules, team outings or childcare options for your child offers your company.
Location – In addition to filling in the “Location” field when filling in the online job posting form, you may want to add more specific information about where the job is based. Is this a new office? Are there good transport links? What is the local pub? Whether the role is always in the office or is there any involvement in the trip? When people work, they are often as important as the role they take.
Your business – what is your business? If your business is not a well-known brand, you will need to give an explanation of what industry you are in. Instead of copying the “About Us” section of your website, try to link it to this role. So, if this is a role in sales, you can put “Leading Textile Provider with an Aggressive Expansion Program to Earn Business Outside the UK,” while for the IT role you can put “Leading Textile Supplier With a Newly Developed Online Order of the .NET Framework “. Do not make the mistake of providing too much information here, the jobseeker will do his own research if he wants to know more.
Next Steps – If the reader is interested in your vacancy, what are the next steps you want to take? There is a “Apply Now” button on all job ads placed on Monster, but you might also consider adding an email or phone number to a contact, and a reference number to quote so you can track where find your apps. Are there any specific information that you would like candidates to include in their cover letter? Now is the time to ask.
Turning to your audience
If you take the analogy that the task is your product and the jobseekers are your customers, you have to make a convincing reason why they need to make a deal (or take the time to apply for a job). Jobseekers appreciate their skills and experience very much and if you want to apply for a job, you will have to appeal their desires and needs in the same way as with the users.
Think about when you shop. What are the products that catch your eye? What type of product is your target candidate? What lessons can you learn from the ad language they use and how they are displayed?
Many job listings are written with the assumption that the employer makes potential candidates for service by inviting them to apply for their job. This attitude immediately discourages your audience – if you are not welcomed in job advertisements, then you can not expect people to think you will provide a nice place to work.
Searching for a job is a full-time job in itself, so try to keep your ad for less than 700 words. The long-running ads show that there is a suffocating work environment, while fun and joking advertising will create the impression of unprofessionalism. Talk to people at their level and in the second person using “you” and “yours” instead of “us” and “ours”.
For each ad you put, resist the temptation to just copy and paste the description you used for the last time you hired for that job. Consider how the responsibilities of the person’s specification may have changed. You want to hire people with their own personalities and attributes, not robotic branches!