With the number job postings hitting record numbers, your job advert must stand out against the competition for it ot be successful At Source Talent, we advertise our vacancies with the audience in mind.
It has never been as important as it is now to ensure that your job advert CONNECTS with your target market.
However, creating an effective advert is not easy so here our 5 steps to creating a job advert that will drive more applicants for your vacancies
When scrolling through various offerings, your advert must catch the attention of the jobseeker. You must make it impossible to miss and to not read on.
How?
Try stating the key benefits of the role or the impact it will have on your business. How will your role improve the life of the successful applicant?
Try rhetorical questions to help you emphasise your statement. This is the perfect opportunity to make an emotional connection with your target audience and it might well be this emotional connection that will prompt an application
Next you need a small introduction – just a few sentences – which outlines your business and the role you are advertising for. This really does not need to be long as you will go into more detail later.
This section should contain keywords that help candidates know right from the start if this role would be of interest to them. Try to include the job title, industry, and some background into the size of your business.
Remember we need to also ensure the advert is targeted so that the right profile of candidate applies for your vacancy. This is also your chance to let the candidate know a little bit more about your business and why you are a great company to work for.
Paint a picture of how life would be in your business; why should talented candidates want to come and work for you?
After introducing the position, it is a good idea to set out the goals or objectives for the candidate. Again, this does not need to be long, just a few sentences will do. This is a nice opportunity to help the candidate understand the role they will play, and the contribution they will make within the business.
Next, it is important to outline what the role will entail and list a few of the main responsibilities.
It is a good idea to break these up into smaller paragraphs, or better still, bullet points. This makes it clearer and easier for candidates to digest. The responsibilities of the role are important to candidates and it is vital to always be honest about what will be expected of candidates.
These must be the key aspects of the role and remember, the work that is involved really matters to a jobseeker!
The personal specification and requirements themselves will depend on the level of the role. It can be helpful to use bullet points in this section as well.
This should include experience, particular industry knowledge or soft skills that are essential. It is important to outline any personality traits or soft skills you wish your candidate to possess.
For example, maybe you want them to be enthusiastic, possess good communication skills and have an interest in the industry. Do not underestimate the impact of this detail and it will make your advert stand out against the rest. If you would like someone with a certain amount of experience, this is your chance to highlight this.
It is also good practice to finish the advert by indicating that feedback will be provided and following up on this even if the candidate is unsuccessful.
Your active candidate attraction process starts with your job advert and provides the ideal opportunity for you to showcase your brand.
Taking the time to perfect your job advert from the start can be hugely beneficial and following these steps will boost your application rates. Follow this structure and make sure you include only the relevant information.
Detail is good and will help you attract the right quality of candidate. However, ensure that the information is clear and easy to digest.
Advertising your vacancy should only form one part of your hiring strategy. This is an example of a method of attracting active candidates. It is also vital that you consider a strategy to attract passive candidates.
For more information and example templates, please contact Sanchia Bestwick on Sanchia@source-talent.co.uk.
