When you’re advertising a job vacancy, it’s easy to get complacent. It’s easy to believe that a long list of applicants is a clear signal that your job opening is a gift to others and that people with the chance to apply should be nothing but grateful for your sacrifice.
The reality is that your job advert is a chance to sell your company to potential employees, and that for every application you receive there are likely to be many more people that have passed the opportunity by.
You’ve got to make the job look appealing, and you need to show potential applicants why they should choose to work for your company. Unless you do, you risk losing out on the best possible people for the role that you’re trying to fill.
Before your perfect candidate slips through your fingers, check your job advert for these key features:
Does it include a sensible title?
Don’t try and be clever with the job title. Make it clear what role a candidate is applying for. That’s particularly important now that so many jobs are advertised online, because people will search for ‘cleaner’ not ‘dust removal specialist’.
Does it list the details?
Make sure that your advert gives people an idea of their potential salary, holidays, any bonuses, company benefits and holiday entitlements. They’re the boring bits, but they’re essential if you want people to pay attention. Cryptic, hidden and unclear salaries are the easiest way to imply that you’re paying minimum wage, even if you’re not. Make sure that you also include a postcode or an accurate address. It helps people to plan their route to work, and to see if it’s a viable option.
Is it free from buzzwords?
This isn’t a clear description:
‘You’ll be joining an on-the-go sales team, and using a unique hands-on approach to sell media solutions to a captive corporate audience’.
This is much better:
‘Potential clients schedule appointments with our in-house sales team. You’ll go to meet those clients in their offices, where you’ll demonstrate our video conferencing software and let them try before they buy’.
Be clear, so that people know what the job really involves.
Does it sell the benefits?
Make sure that your job advert gives potential applicants a reason to want to work for you. Go beyond the essentials. Talk about your convenient city centre location, your office with plenty of natural light or your monthly ‘bring your pet to work’ scheme. If you offer something special, shout about it!
Does it offer a future?
Whilst some applicants will be happy with the exact job that you’re advertising, others might have higher aspirations. If you can promise training opportunities and a chance at career progression, then use that promise to tempt applicants that might otherwise go elsewhere.
Does it address the negatives?
If it doesn’t, then it’s time to make some changes. Don’t focus only on the exciting and positive aspects of working for your company. Be prepared to warn people if there are any negatives. It might sound counter-productive, but it’s a great way to weed out the candidates that would have left when things got tough. Remember that there’s nothing wrong with putting a negative between two positives:
‘We expect hard workers, and in return we offer a very generous 25 days of annual holiday entitlement. We will need you to work until 8pm every Friday, but we run a monthly award scheme to give one employee an additional £100 bonus’.
Does it invite questions?
Even the best job advert doesn’t answer every question that everyone is likely to ask. Invite questions. Give potential applicants a way to contact someone relevant with any further queries. Remember that each applicant will have their own priorities, and that you don’t have space to address them all.
Finding the Perfect Candidate
Desperate candidates apply to every job that they think they might be able to do. Good candidates are fussy and apply only to the very best roles. If you want the good candidates, then you need to produce a good advert.
Have you got any hints to add to our list? Leave us a comment, and let us know.
