If you’ve ever hired someone, chances are you’ve had to write a job advert. If you’re not a writer then this can be a headache from start to finish; but we’ve got a few top tips to help you create an eye-catching job advert.
Keep it concise
Whilst it might be impossible to keep your job advertisement really short, keeping it as concise as possible is going to help give your applicants all the necessary information without overloading them. Applying for jobs can be incredibly overwhelming; applicants will want all the information they need, in as little time as possible.
Even if you’ve got a lot of information to impart to candidates, starting with a very brief description of the job title and role will help the right candidates find your listing quickly.
Think about the language you’re using
The language and tone you use in your job advert is a great indication to applicants of the kind of organisation you are. If you want to put across that the atmosphere is relaxed, go for a more casual tone. If your organisation promotes professionalism, you need a more formal tone.
Be specific with the spec
There is nothing worse than getting to the end of a job advert and wondering exactly what the role is, and what the company is looking for in their hire. If you need specific work hours, a certain level of education or a special qualification, make sure these feature prominently in your advert. This will help filter out the candidates that don’t meet these requirements - as well as saving you time in the interview process.
Differentiate between your essential criteria; the things that applicants absolutely need to be considered for the role, and your desirable criteria; the things that would give applicants an edge over other candidates.
Whilst you might not need to list every responsibility that your successful candidate will have, giving applicants the main features of the role is important in attracting their attention. This will help candidates decide whether they have the experience and the qualifications to meet the responsibilities of the role.
Sell your company
Applicants will want to know what kind of benefits they can expect when working for you. Do you offer flexible work hours? Is there opportunity for progression? Do you have a training budget? This job advert may be the first time your applicant has heard of your company - and it pays to give a good first impression.
The kinds of benefits you can offer may be the difference between the ideal candidate taking a position with you, or taking a position with your competitor. Promoting the benefits of working with your company early on can help applicants take notice, and help them make that decision to apply.
Get someone else to proof read
This might be an advert for a job, but this is also an advert for your organisation. Spelling mistakes and grammar mistakes are going to give a poor impression of your company. Proofreading your own work is difficult - if you’ve been writing something for a couple of hours, you’re more likely to scan read because you’re already familiar with the content.
Pass it onto a colleague, and get them to give it a read before you click ‘post’. They’re more likely to notice sentences that read strangely, or whether a paragraph needs moving, or if you’ve used the wrong version of ‘they’re/their/there’.
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