Crafting the best job advert can be tough, especially when you consider the crowded marketplace that exists at a time when employers are on the back foot and are trying to attract the best workers from a limited pool of talent. Mandy Watson, Managing Director of Ambitions Personnel, explains how to position yourself with clarity and simplicity to ensure you reel in your ideal candidates.
Writing a job advert shouldn’t be difficult, should it?
Advertising is key
Hiring in these times is tricky enough as it is; you need to make sure your job advert is the best it can be. Think about where you are going to advertise too. Is the position you are advertising suitable for the platform you are considering? Do some research. If your audience is simply not going to be on a certain social media platform or job site, is it worth using them at all? A scattershot approach here doesn’t help anyone.
Remuneration and rates
Salary is a metric that many expect to see on job ads these days. It may not be your current policy to share, but you should benchmark your salary offering against market rates and give an indication of pay. It’s never a good idea to waste money on an advert that isn’t going to generate any interest, and simply writing ‘Competitive’ often puts potentially brilliant candidates off. After all, if your rates aren’t competitive, you need to address that as a point of action.
Review your job specs
Before you even start writing an advert, take some time to clarify what the role actually involves and who your dream recruit would be. What background do they have? Are you willing to take those from another profession if they have transferable skills? There’s a lot to think about.
Outdated job specs and onerous person descriptions can set you off on the wrong path before you even begin. Ask yourself questions like - is industry experience really essential, or is the right personality more important?
The key should be to focus on attraction over assessment. You need to get people interested, so you can then decide if they are the right fit. Think of this as a sales and marketing tool rather than a one-off search each time to fill a vacancy.
Use the right language
Browse any job board, and you’ll find hundreds of similar-sounding job adverts. It’s so easy to fall into this trap of cliches and well-meaning phrases. Not every job is an ‘exciting opportunity’, and not every workplace is ‘dynamic’. Focus on what the job actually entails and its true benefits. If you can, be creative and describe the average day or give an insight into what others have said about working there. After all, candidates will have read through countless copy and paste efforts before getting to your vacancy, so at least make it read differently.
A word on job titles - consider whether your job title really reflects the job role. Some titles are far too obscure, niche, or specific – think what keywords job seekers are likely to search for, some too generic, which don’t do a role justice.
To test, simply write a job advert from a job seeker’s perspective. Immerse yourself and think, ‘what’s in it for me?’ and lead with that.
More practically, avoid using jargon. Steer well clear of internal language, acronyms or industry-specific terms. Even the most seasoned jobseeker could be put off if you dress up a skill as something entirely unfamiliar.
Also, use natural language ‘You will be’ rather than ‘The successful candidate will be’, people want to imagine themselves already in the role, rather than having to fight for it.
You should also start leading with a ‘hook’ - gain the reader’s attention with a strong headline and ensure they keep reading. A brief overview will also help, don’t simply repeat yourself. Finally, talk about the business, the culture and what you can expect and end with a simple call to action. Gendered language should also be avoided; there’s no room for bias in adverts, and equality matters from the get-go.
Sell your experience
What’s your USP? What can you offer that no one else can? In this candidate-driven market, it is by small margins that you can sway candidates.
In an ideal world, you’ll have a strong employer brand, meaning people already want to work for you. Research shows that candidates want to work for a business that aligns with their own personal objectives and values, such as environmental goals, ethics, and more.
