Writing A Better Job Advert – Some Do’s & Don’ts

Recruiting is expensive and time consuming.  Getting your copy right in the advert in is the first step to getting the applicants you actually want.  You can make huge savings in time and resources by getting this very first step in recruitment nailed.  

Another reason to make sure your advert appeals to the right type of candidate is avoiding high turnover.  Get the recruitment process wrong and you run the risk of sifting through a bunch of applications that don’t excite you or meet the requirements of the role.  Recruiting the wrong person, potentially, means having the start the whole process over again. 

A well written, considered job ad will make all the difference when it comes to selecting candidates for interview.  Using the wrong language or providing the wrong information can deter candidates and affect your image as an employer.  

In this article, we will show you not only what to avoid in your job ad but also what will make your dream candidates compelled to apply.  

Do Like A Marketer

The whole point of your job advert is to entice, excite and compel relevant, high-quality candidates to consider the role. You are not just advertising a job, you’re advertising your organisation.  Your advert is the first impression any candidate will get of your company.  

The content of your ad will tell communicate volumes to potential candidates, not just about the role for which they are applying, but also the companies values and culture.  People decide whether or not they want to work for an organisation based on a number of factors, including the language and tone used in the advertisement.  

Your ad needs to convey only what the job itself is but also why any potential candidate should want to come and work for you. What makes your organisation stand out as an above average employer? What makes the job desirable, apart from the salary? 

Don’t Be Boring 

Like any advert; it should be short, snappy, easy to read, compelling and benefits-driven; what it shouldn’t be is a long, boring bullet-pointed list of “essential skills.”  When you write your advert, think about the most pertinent and attractive parts of the job that you need to get across in order to entice relevant individuals.  Include the key responsibilities and benefits but keep the advert short and to the point. You can go into greater depth at the interview stage, or you can send a full job description out to people when you invite to interview.

Don’t Be Negative

Try not to include any negative language in your job adverts.  You want to avoid making statements such as “previous applicants need not apply” or “if you have applied for a position with us in the last 6 months do not re-apply”. Whilst you might genuinely not want to attract these applicants, think about targeting your vacancy towards the people that you want to apply.  Rather than going out of your way to deter applicants from a particular background, focus on attracting those candidates with the experience you need.

Do Be Inclusive

The language used in job advertisements should always aim to include, not exclude. Any negativity within your advertisement can reflect poorly on your business.  

Be open to thinking more flexibly about your recruitment process.  When it comes to recruitment the goal is not to hire a reflection of yourself.  If you want a diverse, creative and innovative team who can face a wide variety of challenges and drive the business forward, then you need to avoid recruiting “mini-me’s”.

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Creative 

Make your job ad stand out and attract the calibre of candidate you want by posing the job differently.  Its harder to train an attitude than it is a skill so spend some time thinking about what’s important to you before putting your ad together.  

Still need some help when crafting your job advertisements? Shameless Industries team of Copywriters are here to help you save time and money by writing the adverts that attract the right candidates, the first time.

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