How to Write the Perfect Job Advertisement

November 7th, 2022 by HireClick

Learn how a well-written job advertisement can lead to better job candidates

If you’ve ever looked for a new job, you can probably attest to how important the job description is. After all, the job description is typically a potential employee’s first interaction with your company. A bad description could mean that that candidate may never take the next step towards completing an application.. On the other hand, a good job description can lead to more applicants, applicants with the skills your company needs, and more realistic expectations when the applicant lands a job with you. Here is some advice on what to include in your next job advertisement and what to avoid.

Things to Include:

A “Clean” and simple job title

Keep you job titles simple. Job Search sites use your job title to “index” job listings. Slang job titles like “Sales Rockstar” confuse the algorithms of these search sites and will lead to poor performance of your ads. Also, resist adding ancillary information such as “$1000 sign on bonus” or “Great Benefits Package” to your job titles. That information belongs in the body of the ad, not the title.

Conciseness

Time is your friend in telling a potential candidate about your company, the position, and the benefits. Lengthy job descriptions will lose the attention of your readers. Be concise. Avoid long sentences, bulleted lists, and complex terms and qualifications at all costs.

A compelling story

Would you rather read a list of 10 bullet points or a paragraph-long story? The same should be said about job descriptions. Job descriptions are a way for your company to tell a story about what to expect from the job, the problem you need help solving, what skills you’re looking for, and how you’ll help the candidate grow if they choose to have a career with you. Build out content that is compelling to job seekers and that makes them want to learn more.

Keywords

SEO is incredibly important in job descriptions. Research key terms to use in your job descriptions so that your positions rise to the top of the pile when candidates search for specific positions or skills. If you are hiring for a Customer Service job, include “Customer Service” in your ad copy. Remember… machines, not people, index your job ads. Be deliberate and transparent by including keywords in your job ads.

Salary

Simply put, job seekers want to see salary in the job description. 67% of job seekers see this as the most important factor in a new job. If that statistic is not enough motivation for you to include the salary or pay range, consider this. Many national job boards will skim your job ad for salary information. If they do not find it, they will estimate it based upon similar jobs in your region. To avoid attaching inaccurate or misleading compensation details on your ads, take the initiative to add compensation to all of your job ads as soon as possible. For more information on this, check out our blog post on including salary information in job posts.

Responsibilities, not Requirements

“Responsibilities not requirements.” When making a job post, keep this in mind. Candidates can get scared off by particular requirements. Responsibilities are a far better way to show the candidate what to expect.

Necessary skills

Skill-based hiring is a relatively new practice for companies today. LinkedIn data shows that the hiring of managers without a 4-year degree has increased by 20% since 2019 and that employees without a 4-year degree tend to stay 34% longer than employees with a degree. Skills are often a more realistic and reliable indicator of qualifications than a degree or job at a particular university or company.

Things to Avoid:

School/Pedigree Requirements

Companies should avoid using schools as a way to prejudge a candidate’s ability to do a job well. Studies show that it’s wrong to assume degrees equate to having particular skills. Instead of including “Required: 5 years of managerial experience or Master’s degree” in your job description, use something like “strong, proven history of managing teams of more than 10 people” instead.

Gendered language

Believe it or not, many job descriptions include language that promotes gender bias. Including certain language and pronouns is a sure way to turn people away from your job post. Make sure the language in your description is gender-neutral. A good way to test this is to have different genders read the posting before it’s published and give you feedback.

Pointless, emotional terminology

We’ve all seen job posts that include the following terms: passionate, committed, team player, responsible, dynamic, detail-oriented, and analytical. The reality is that most people can claim to have one of these traits. Having those traits also is a poor indicator of what the person will actually be doing if they get the job, so it’s best to avoid descriptors like that completely.

Conclusion

Job descriptions are advertisements. They should be transparent, informational, and persuasive. They are the most critical tool in increasing your chances of converting a jobseeker to an applicant. HIRECLICK clients enjoy the benefit of working with a Hiring Success Coach that can help to optimize your job ads and boost your conversion rate., and analytical. The reality is that most people can claim to have one of these traits. Having those traits also is a poor indicator of what the person will actually be doing if they get the job, so it’s best to avoid descriptors like that completely.

If you are looking to take control of your hiring with an affordable, efficient hiring system, give HIRECLICK a try. Find out why 2600+ employers like you rely on HIRECLICK to power their hiring strategy.

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