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5 things you NEED to do when writing a job advert

Working At A Desk

Lizzie Tasker Blog, Employers, Director...

The rise of social media and online job boards mean that it’s easier than ever to reach thousands of job seekers. So, surely finding the right people for your jobs should be simple? Ask any HR professional or recruiter and they’ll tell you that’s not the case!

You can spend hours crafting a detailed job description, and even longer putting together a wish list of the attributes your ideal candidate will have into a person specification, only to advertise a role and receive very few applications, or even worse, be inundated with hundreds of irrelevant applications from candidates with the wrong experience.

Obviously, one solution is that you could enlist the help of one of our consultants, who will use their specialist market knowledge and search techniques to find you the perfect candidate; so you can sit back and relax. Our permanent recruitment works on a success only basis, so you’ve nothing to lose, you’ll only pay us a fee if we find you someone.

If you do decide to go it alone, before you put pen to paper and write a job advert, check out our top 5 things that you need to do:

Choose the Right Job Title

Think about where you’re going to post your advert. If it’s online, candidates will often be searching for specific job titles or keywords. Put yourself in their shoes; make your job as easy to find as possible and keep it simple.  For example, people are unlikely to be searching for a job titled ‘Director of First Impressions’ when looking for Reception roles.

The Basics

First and foremost, you must ensure your job tells the candidate everything they need to know in order to establish that the fundamentals of the job is suitable for them.  Location, hours of work, salary/package, whether it’s temporary or permanent etc. are all essential. If a candidate can’t find this information easily, they’re more likely to just keep scrolling to the next advert.

Layout

Again, try and think like a candidate – they might be reading your advert on their way to work on their mobile phone. Big blocks of text can be a real turn off, so keep your adverts clear and concise and use bullet points where possible.  Avoid copy and pasting from the job description, and definitely, don’t use internal jargon. Start by introducing the company, going on to include an overview of how the role fits within the company, then bullet points listing the key duties followed by the required skills/experience/competencies of the ideal candidate. It goes without saying to proofread thoroughly for any errors.

Sell Sell Sell!

Essentially, a job advert serves to ‘sell’ your job to the right candidate. Why would someone choose to come and work for you over one of your competitors? Think about the benefits of the role and how you can grab the interest of the reader.  Does the tone of the advert really get across the culture of your company? What are you offering that’s different? Candidates love to know about the work environment.  By injecting some personality into your adverts, you’re more likely to attract applications from people who are a good fit for your team.

Call to Action

Make it easy for the candidate to understand how they can apply for the role. Be clear on how you want to receive applications (i.e. email a CV to …) and note any closing date. An extensive 10-page application form is likely to deter people, so consider if that’s really necessary.  We also find that by including a strong closing statement such as ‘don’t miss out, apply today’ can also help boost applications.