You’ve decided that it’s time to employ new staff & need to write a job advertisement
What's next?
Firstly, think about who will be reading the ad.
What are their desires and motivators. What’s important to them professionally and personally?
Work to capture their interest with the words you use.
Then review the job description
The prospective employee will be comparing the ad they read with the job description provided and will expect alignment.
Now to writing the ad…
Start with the job title
Use terminology familiar to prospective candidates, not necessarily your internal titles. Optimise the job title with keywords that candidates are using so that it appears in searches.
Candidates initially scan an ad before reading it
Check that your ad is eye-catching and correctly formatted. Bold, concise and informative subheadings facilitate scanning and will encourage candidates to read the detail.
Highlight the benefits of the role early in the ad.
This is what the candidate will be reading first.
Talk about the importance of the role and its impact
Candidates are interested in the higher ideals of the work they will be doing.
Then highlight the benefits of joining your organisation,
and particularly the team they will be working with, using concise and snappy text.
Summarise your organisation so that it appeals to your ideal candidate
Discuss benefits that are relevant and enticing. Use ‘envisioning’ language and ensure that your message is compelling.
Go on to describe the requirements: education, skills, experience
Highlight essential and desired criteria to attract relevant candidates.
When describing the responsibilities of the role use strong, vivid verbs that will resonate with a candidate’s intrinsic & extrinsic motivators.
Ensure your ad mentions a person to direct responses and enquiries to?
A generic application process is impersonal and unlikely to attract top talent.
Throughout your ad use words that will make candidates excited about being in the role.
Your objective is to make the candidate feel something when they read the ad.
And that feeling needs to be strong enough for them to push ‘APPLY NOW’.