Your job advert has been live for a while now, but the applications you’ve received have been okay at best. What’s going wrong? It could be the way your job ad is written.
It goes without saying that when you’re hiring, first impressions matter. You form an initial impression of a candidate based on their CV, and likewise, they’ll judge whether they want to find out more about your business based on the job advert.
If you’re struggling to drum up impressive applications, try these tips to help you write an effective job advert that’ll encourage the right people to apply.
Start with a clear and compelling job title
The most common issue we find with underperforming ads is the job title doesn’t fit the description. For example, an ad for a ‘Social Media Manager’ where the responsibilities also include writing web content and creating MailChimp campaigns, isn’t what it says on the tin. In this case you’d be better off using the job title ‘Marketing Executive’ or ‘Digital Content Writer’. That way everything matches up and people aren’t going to feel like they’ll be tricked into doing a job they didn’t apply for.
Think about your structure
If you’ve included a thorough job description detailing job duties and responsibilities, as well as the required experience, but you’re still not seeing applications, it might be because you’ve written a job description instead of an advert.
Remember that your advert just needs to generate interviews for the role. It needs to be punchy, and get to the point quickly. You need to give the applicant enough for them to want to apply in order to find out more. You can follow up with a full job description later in the process.
Try restructuring the information in your job advert to lead with the selling points. Write an introduction to your business that will get people excited about working for you and include the things that make you a great employer.
Opt for consistent formatting
Just like with food, where the first bite is taken with your eyes, a visually appealing job advert can be all the difference between someone applying or passing you over. Candidates tend to skim over adverts quickly so the last thing you want is a pool of information with no headers. Poor formatting, grammar and spelling mistakes, and a lack of paragraphs are distracting at best but, at its worst, it can give your business an air of carelessness, unprofessionalism, and misplaced priorities.
Highlight the benefits of the job
Gone are the days when benefits packages were an added bonus for employees. Especially in the competitive tech sector, job benefits are expected and will often be used as a decision maker when comparing job offers.
In fact, research from Perkbox showed that 69% of employees would choose one job over another if it offered better benefits. The same research showed that 60% of people report benefits and perks as a major factor in considering a job offer and that 75% of employees are more likely to stay with their employer because of their benefits package.
Be inclusive
Avoid using language that could show unconscious bias, be considered discriminatory or exclusive. Use gender-neutral language and avoid language that could be seen as biased. Be sure to do your research and if you’re unsure how inclusive your advert is, you could consider speaking with an expert or use a solution like a bias decoder to check your ad. Either way, before your advert goes live, you should have multiple members of your team review it with inclusivity in mind.
Showcase company culture
Above and beyond the job advert, giving some background on why you do what you do is the perfect way to show off your company’s culture, personality and USPs to your potential new hire. You could list your company mission and values to find candidates that resonate with them. Values-based recruitment is becoming more popular as it’s effective for finding people that work well together longer-term. So being up front about your values and what’s important in your business will help you attract people that align with your current team. Just remember to keep it simple and engaging.
By following these tips, you can create a job advert that effectively showcases your business, attracting the right candidate for the job. Remember to keep in mind diversity and inclusion in your job ad, as this can help you to attract a diverse group of candidates who will bring different perspectives and ideas to your company.
Get in touch
A well-crafted job ad can go a long way in attracting top talent and building a positive reputation for your company. If you need help with your job adverts, give us a shout!
