How to write a job advert

How to write a job advert

When you're writing a job advert, it's easy to fall into the trap of forgetting that the focus should be on the candidate and why they should apply for the role. More often than not job ads adopt a tone that implies that they're doing potential candidates a favour by inviting them to apply for a job - this attitude instantly discourages readers and could mean you miss out on top talent.

Remember, this is an advert. Think of your candidates as your customers and put your energy into making sure the ad is about them. What's in it for them? Why should they apply for this job over another? Is it worth their while applying? Making sure you address these points will help you to attract the best talent out there and most importantly make sure they apply for your job.

Getting the content and tone spot on is critical to your recruiting success and catching the attention of higher-achieving candidates. Here are a few simple rules for attracting the perfect candidate for the job.

Create an eye-catching job title

It might sound cliché, but you need to make a great first impression and grab people's attention. People are busy; they have heavy workloads, over-stimulated attention spans and potentially hundreds of job ads to sort through - especially the top-performing talent you're on the lookout for.

The job market is bursting with ads, and you have very little time to hook a candidate's interest, particularly if you're trying to recruit in a competitive industry. You need to create an eye-catching job title that will help your ad stand out and garner the attention it deserves.

Do your research

Before you start to write your advert, try to determine what your ideal candidate would potentially be looking for. Are they searching for the job title you've used? How do the people you want to attract talk about their role? Take a look at some job ads within your sector: which ones stood out, made you double-take or want to find out more?

If there's something you've seen that you think worked well there's no reason why you can't apply some of the ideas to your ads.

Be brief, clear and to the point

Remember, less is more. Job hunting can often be a time-consuming process; potential candidates won't have time to read long rambling adverts. Think about what a candidate would want to know and the type of information they'll be scanning ads for. Typically, the top 3 things candidates want to know are the: job title, salary and location.

It's also important to carefully consider the tone and style of your ad as it builds a picture of what type of organisation you are. Including long chunks of text and too much detail where it isn't required may wrongfully suggest an oppressive and inflexible working environment. In contrast, an over casual and joke packed advert will give the impression of unprofessionalism.

Set out a clear structure

Your ad must be easy to read, and candidates should be able to pick out key information quickly. Lead with the main points about the role and remember to keep each section focused on the candidate.

Here's a good example of a basic checklist to follow when writing your job advert:

●     A short introduction about the job

●     Location

●     Benefits and rewards

●     The selling points

●     The role and responsibilities

●     Key requirements, qualifications and skills

●     Introduction to your company

●     Instructions for what to do next

Make sure your advert is easy to find

Many of your potential candidates will be job searching on their smartphones, so think about how you search online and how they will find your ad. Are you using keywords that will act as a signpost for the right candidates?

As readers, we scan for key phrases and words, so make sure you break up the text, so it's easier to digest and helps readers find exactly what they’re looking for.

Always be honest

There's nothing wrong with being very clear about what you want. I'm sure we’ve all seen the recent trend for referring to a deli assistant as a sandwich artist which has probably led to some confusion and people applying for a role that is entirely different from what they'd imagined. If you dress the role up as something it isn't, you'll be inundated with unsuitable candidates, which is just a waste of everyone's time.

If you’re looking for someone who has 5+ years experience, or a specific qualification, you need to make sure you include it as a 'must-have' requirement.

The day to day activities don't have to be boring

Rather than writing out the job description as a dry and dull set of bullet points, try to write it in a way that's energetic, engaging, and representative of your brand. If you write like you think the role's boring, why will the candidate assume differently?

Try something new and be punchy, don't be afraid to do something different away from the standard job ad template. What positive impact on the business will the candidates day to day tasks have? Include an exciting narrative that allows the candidate to imagine themselves in the role and the great things they'll be able to achieve within your organisation.

Keep it fresh

Writing a job ad may be at the bottom of a long list of things you have to get done this week, but trust us, putting in a bit of time and effort will be well worth it. Although it's very tempting, don't copy and paste old jobs descriptions. You want to employ humans with their personalities and attributes, not robots. Humanising your advert and writing it to resonate more with your target audience will lead to a better quality of candidate.

A job advert that's aspirational and bursting with potential, is much more likely to attract candidates that are aspirational and bursting with potential. A more tailored advert will find candidates who are a better fit for the role and your organisation, and as a result, they'll be more likely to stay in the role, which means having to write fewer job ads in the future.

Always shout about the perks and benefits

You could say that the better the benefits, the better the candidates. Your role will set itself apart with the benefits you offer. A lot of jobs at different companies won't differ that much in the day to day deliveries - it will be your benefit package that will attract the top talent.

Look out for mistakes

Before pushing your ad live make sure you proofread it more than once – checking for typos, grammatical errors, and contrived phrases and industry jargon. Ask a colleague (or two) to check it over to avoid any overlooked mistakes.

An ad littered with typos will not reflect well on your brand and gives the impression that this vacancy isn't valued very highly.

Don't let the perfect candidate get away

The essential part of any job ad is closing the deal, so don't let a lousy ending let down all your hard work. Use persuasive language to add a sense of urgency to your vacancy like 'apply today’.

Without a conclusive sentence, candidates may leave your ad with the intention to come back to it another day, but never do.

If you would like any assistance in your recruitment process then please don’t hesitate to contact our team.

HEAT's top tips for an effective job ad:

●     Keep your job ads within 185 characters, with a job title length of just 29 characters.

●     Remember that a job spec and a job ad serve two very different purposes. Whilst it's ok to use elements of the spec in the ad, don't make the common mistake of confusing the two.

●     Make the application process as simple as possible. Unnecessary or over-complicated steps will put people off.

●     Mention the salary. If you don't mention the salary or related company benefits, you are less likely to attract the highest volume of quality candidates.

●     Job adverts with specific locations receive up to 10 times more applications. Why? Jobseekers tend to search for roles by postcode, or a particular area.

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Andrew McDonald (My Protector Group)

My Protector Group administrators (Myprotector) is a non-traditional legal & estate service provider - made up of a team of attorneys, estate administrators, business executives and fiduciary specialists.

1y

Hi Steve, Thanks for this post. It was an inspiration and I will be using it to advertise on LinkedIn.

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