How to write a job advert that attracts candidates

Would you like more candidates for your roles? Would you like to spend less money on getting candidates?

If no, this probably isn’t for you. However if this is the case, it would be worth firstly considering what your job adverts are saying to potential employees

What is the point of a job advert? (and sorry if this seems a bit blunt but it’s not just to advertise the role). It is to attract candidates to want to work for your company and to be encouraged enough to contact you to find out more about the great role and company that you have. 

If we consider there are broadly speaking two types of candidate:

i.e. either unemployed and needing a job or employed but having made a conscious decision to find a role.

those not actively looking for a new role.

In the case of active candidates, there is a chance that where someone needs a job they will apply regardless of how good an advert is; however they are likely to have also applied to numerous other roles and may not even remember yours. In times of record job opportunities and low unemployment it is even more critical that your job adverts firstly stands out against others and secondly speaks to passive candidates. In times of lower job opportunities and less candidates, it’s important that your role and advert encourages candidates to want to make the move.

If you get this right, you’ll stand out against rivals and hopefully cut down the amount of irrelevant applications you’ll get. (Even if you are some kind of literary lothario , you’ll never stop this completely!) 

1. The purpose of the opening in any piece of content is to get someone to want to carry on reading. Does your opening line do this? 
2. Would you apply for a job without knowing what it actually is? Very doubtful. Without providing a salary , how will someone know if it is even suitable. There’s not many people out there who can discount salary so make sure this is clearly visible.
3. The most effective way to grab a candidates interest is to get across how the new job will improve on what they have now. Things that matter to candidates: Flexibility, future opportunities and development, people and money. Are you selling these points?
4. A job advert is not a job description. This is something that you may share with a candidate later in the journey but as a first outreach (if you want to think like a sales or marketing funnel) it is about creating awareness and creating interest.
5. Candidates are interested why they might find it exciting, why this is a good team to join and why the company is doing well. Just including references to a great team, growing business who’ve exceeded all targets, achieves nothing. Back up what you write and avoid cliches. 
6. Also If you don’t know what your staff really thinks about working at the company, find this out. If this is something you are interested in we can provide a recruit happiness tool that clarifies this for you and gives you a great insight into employers thoughts.
7. Remember this is all about the candidate not you. Speak to their interests not just go on about you

Job adverts are a form of advertising and it’s important to have a candidate mindset. It is not you picking out what you want from an employee rather it is what will the company have that the employee will want?