Crafting an engaging job advert is key to effective hiring and ensures the right applicants will read, consider and apply for a role.
This article will explore how to create an exceptional job advert and some common things to avoid.
1) Consider your job title carefully
The job title is the most important part of your advert. Which is why it is crucial to get it just right.
Remember to use specific and search-friendly keywords so that your job advert can be more easily found on search engines by relevant candidates.
Be conscious that candidates may be searching for more common keywords so be wary of this fact and use easy to recognise language.
2) Don’t use a confusing job title
Use more commonly recognise titles that describe the role and avoid unfamiliar titles.
If you call an HR Manager a ‘Company Happiness Manager’ it will stand out, but it may not receive as many views and applications. It could also result in potential applicants who do not have the appropriate skills.
Specific job titles will help filter out irrelevant candidates immediately, saving you time and resources when it comes to the screening phase.
3) Use a concise job title
Data shows job titles with 80 characters or less receive more clicks and therefore more applications.
Make sure that you place the most important keywords at the beginning as most candidates will only read the first few words of a job title before moving on to the next.
When creating your title, include the name of the position and relevant industry (e.g. Digital Marketing Manager).
It can also be beneficial for candidates if you include the level of seniority in your titles (e.g. junior or senior).
4) Be specific with Job Locations
Identify exactly where the job is located in the very first paragraph of your listing.
This is because most candidates will base their search around their location, e.g. “marketing jobs near London”. This clarification will help to optimise your job posting on search engines so that it appears higher in location-based results.
5) Remuneration – make the salary clear
It is common practise to include the salary (and the location) right below the job title.
Refrain from using ‘competitive salary’ where possible to avoid all the work with liaising with candidates who are too expensive or attracting those who are underqualified.
If the role has key benefits and perks, then ensure that you include them in the description so that candidates know what they can look forward to from the role.
6) Make your introductory summary engaging
The contents of your job description should be appealing and provide enough information to engage the right audience.
Start your description with a short summary of the role and head straight to the company culture, benefits, perks, vibe and potential for career progression.
A company will always be more appealing when they reveal to candidates what it is like to work there from the start.
7) Sell the company
Help candidates to see the bigger picture of your company by mentioning its organisational structure, who they will report to and if any travel is required. (A must if you’re recruiting for the travel industry)
Ensure that you mention how much travel is involved in the role, so you don’t have to wade through responses from candidates who only want to be based in a single location.
8) Summarise the responsibilities and duties
Summarise what the role is and what is key, but you don’t need to add the entire job spec. Adding detail in large chunks of bullet points can lose audience interest.
It might be helpful to detail a typical day and the company environment as well as everything that will be involved. Avoid using company-specific terms that no one else will recognise.
9) Keep qualifications, skills and requirements relevant
Identify what is key for the role.
Specify the educational background, previous job experience, qualifications and technical skills that you want candidates to have.
It is useful to mention soft skills, like communication and problem solving but keep the advert concise and to the point.
10) Keep your list of requirements brief
While you may be tempted to list every requirement you would like, including too many qualifications and skills could dissuade potential candidates.
Remember that if someone ticks literally everything on the list and you were to hire them, they could be moving on after a few months.
In certain cases, you can use short and to the point bullet points to make this information clearer to your potential applicants.
11) Mention your equal opportunities
If your company has an equal opportunities policy, then it is useful to mention it here.
If not, then make sure you prevent discrimination on your job advert, Gov.uk has some helpful advice on what to avoid in your job advert.
12) Review your adverts regularly
Do review your job listings regularly.
Involve all key stakeholders in the process to ensure that your adverts are accurate and up to date.
If an advert fails to get any applicants, then you may want to take a different approach and revise it to better attract your next round of talent!
NICOLA MONGON is the MD of Spotlight Recruitment, the leading marketing recruitment agency in the UK since 2008. Read our 5* Google reviews from candidates and clients to find our more. We are members of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation who ensure member compliance for high professional standards. If you would like to discuss recruitment, you can reach Spotlight on 020 3008 4254 or info@spotlightrecruitment.com
