How To Write A Job Advert

Richard
Insight & Opinion | Recruitment Advice | Talent Attraction

Writing an effective job advert when hiring is a crucial aspect to the hiring process and can make a massive difference to the responses you get. Our Recruitment Copywriter has taken some time out from his busy schedule to explain the dos and don’ts when writing job adverts for recruitment…

How To Write A Job Advert…

1. Structure Your Job Advert

Make your job adverts flow, include the following elements in this order and keep things succinct, 2,500 characters should do it, jobseekers don’t like long adverts.

  • Introduction – Grab attention with clear and interesting facts about the role and your business. Draw applicants into your adverts;
  • Responsibilities – Include at least one paragraph on what the job will involve and the main duties;
  • Requirements – Highlight the core skills necessary to do the role, but don’t overdo it, only include must have skills;
  • The Clincher – Finish with info on career progression, benefits, environment, atmosphere and how the role could pan out in the future.

A common mistake is to only highlight the requirements needed to fulfill the role, remember a job advert is more than just a skills summary, it works both ways. Outline core duties and day to day activities for a really appealing ad.

2. Paint a Picture

Make candidates feel like they are applying to a way of life rather than a 9-5 desk job.  Many candidates site culture and working environments as one of the a key reasons when applying to a new job.  Mentioning simple things like “free fruit” or “based just a stones throw from the beach” or “a bright and modern office space” can be enough to draw candidates in and make them want to know more.  This fulfills the purpose of a job advert, to engage relevant candidates and make connections.

3. Don’t overkill the skills

There is a common rule of thumb in recruitment advertising, the more skills you list the less response you’ll get. Common sense really… candidates become put off by a huge list of requirements as  they naturally doubt their ability to fulfill employer expectations for the role.  Keep things clear and concise highlighting just what is essential to do the job.

4. Think keywords, think optimisation

Our research shows that 75% of all online job applications happen during the working week and whilst candidates are at work, each session is very short (lurking bosses), therefore optimisation is critical to get on the front pages and make a real impact.

Job Boards typically work just like Google, the higher up the listings you get the more traffic comes your way.  It’s not an exact science as each job board works differently and has their own set of rules and regulations, but the best advice I can give you is to do your homework, imagine how your target candidates are searching and  use stemmed terms to appeal to different search strings i.e. ASP.NET Developer / Software Developer (ASP.NET) / .NET Programmer.  Get in touch if you want some more advice on this.

5. Include a salary range

Your advert will be seen more times and by more relevant candidates and it’s not just about optimisation, you will get a higher level of engagement with those candidates that see your advert. In a recent survey candidates were actively put off by not knowing a salary range for a position.

6. Be mindful of the rules

It is illegal to discriminate against anyone based on age, race, sex etc. Ensure your ad copy adheres to employment regulatory standards, this means you should not ask for specific amounts of experience or a degree level candidate without the words “or equivalent”.

Need more help? Let us write and distribute your advert for you…  Get in touch

For further recruitment Advice be sure to visit: Recruitment Advice – 10 Tips for Better Hiring