Online recruitment can be a tricky business if you aren’t sure how to go about it. These days, 60% of candidates apply to jobs through mobile devices. The rapid development of digital technologies in recent years has meant that recruitment advertising has dramatically changed, and there are a few easily made mistakes that could ruin your chances of hiring successfully. Things like; outlining candidate requirements with reams of information, not providing a salary, or ignoring popular key words to help online searches will leave your advert shelved and ignored by the quality candidate response you deserve.
So, here are 6 top tips for writing an expert online job advert that will attract quality candidates
Ensure your advert is searchable: Make sure your advert is search engine optimised. You must ensure that those popular key words are being used to attract relevant candidates. All you need to do is ask yourself one question; What words will candidates tap into Google to find my job? Try not to be too general, the internet likes specifics, so try and use words that directly link to the role you’re advertising. Instead of using “Sales Person”- try “Business Development Executive”. If any specific skills are essential to role, make sure to include them in the job title as well- for example; “Business Development Executive – fluent in French”. If you follow this advice, your advert will be clicked on more times than you can count.
Grab attention: Coming up with a punchy title and an exciting first line for the advert will create a positive start and urge candidates to read on. Begin with a direct question like, “Are you an experienced Support Worker, passionate about contributing to those in need in the local community? Asking a question makes the reader feel part of a conversation, and is more likely to respond accordingly. The first sentence encapsulates the most important qualities for this sector: experience / attitude, so expect so quality candidates coming your way!
Be specific: An excellent job advert will be clear and concise, but never misleading. Giving a specific or reasonable salary range, with clear bullet points outlining the main duties and skills required for the position. This will attract candidates with the appropriate knowledge/ experience, whilst discouraging those who don’t fit the bill. Similarly, it’s always best to include short, direct sentences that describe your searchable words in relation to your job.
Compromise: Online recruitment is a two-way street, so you can expect a bit of give and take. No candidate is 100% perfect, neither is any employer, so you may have to Try and present your job as an opportunity for candidates, instead of feeding them lots of information about all the tasks they will have to complete. Create an advert that presents your company and the benefits that may be on offer, to create a sense of partnership, instead of a divided employer/ candidate dynamic.
Get personal: Personalise your advert by directly addressing the readers. Start sentences with “you will be responsible for…” instead of the “the successful candidate will…” to create a less intimidating tone. Also, candidates will be more likely to apply if the advert reflects the culture of the company, so any little quirks or descriptions of the company atmosphere will always go down well.
Less is more: Your job advert is not just a description of the role your trying to fill, it must be a carefully crafted message that will help identify the type of quality candidates you would like to attract. Make sure you’re advert isn’t too long, just a few sentences about the company and an overview of the role. Then you can bullet point specific duties and requirements. Round off with a confirmation of salary and any perks like, free parking, cycle to work scheme, pension scheme etc. The advert must be relevantly comprehensive without being overwhelming.
So, there you have it! With these 6 top tips, you’ll be a pro at online advertising for quality candidat