Are Your Job Posts Working?

As the job job market slowly recovers, we see more jobs created. However, finding the right candidate is always the toughest part. So, this begs the question, are your job posting good enough? Are they helping to sell the role and offer clear, accurate information about the position? Well, just to be safe we’ve collected some tips on how to improve your job posts so you can attract attentions as well as, quality applicants. 

Let’s get to work! Here’s some tips on creating a job post that gets noticed on job boards or and job posting sites.

1. Start with a great headline.

This is the most important part! When you write your title, include the name of the position and the top one to three things that will make the job attractive to an applicant.

2. Add a poignant introduction.

This is a single paragraph that gives three to five details applicants will find most exciting about the job. It is similar to the lead paragraph newspapers use to hook you into reading an article.

3. Tell your company story.

Information about your company that applicants want to know. How many years you’ve been in business, how long employees stay (if this shows that people stick with you), interesting clients or projects, equipment that applicants will be excited about, awards, accolades, and work culture facts that will interest them.

4. Sell the position.

Rather than the typical laundry list of bullet points, only include requirements that are essential to this job. Try to limit yourself to one to three things. Then provide information on work hours, pay, interesting coworkers, education opportunities, benefits or perks, and anything else applicants will find interesting.

5. Push your location.

Moving is an obstacle to anyone considering your job that doesn’t live in your region. If you want to attract people from other places, sell applicants on the location. Give them details about the area and/or neighborhood and things to do, etc. If your location is an easy commute from many key hiring areas then make sure to spell out the actual commute time. A candidate will always be keen on a role that can cut their commute time.

6. Repeat why they should apply.

This section is a quick bullet-pointed recap of the top five to six reasons someone should apply to your job. If you have a long job post this will make sure that your key points are front-of-mind when the candidate is hovering over the apply button.

7. Spell out the application process.

Detail everything from when they first apply to when they get hired. Candidates won’t be left in the dark about “what happens next.” This is especially important if you have a role that is a one interview hire. Candidates that are immediately available will jump on roles like this as they can get a job in days vs. weeks.

8. Have other people read it.

Treat this job post writing exercise just as you would any other important piece of company marketing. Get others to read it and provide feedback. This will help avoid posting your job with any typos which is never good.

9. Improve your email responses.

Look at all the emails that you send to candidates at each step of the hiring process. Pick them apart and ensure they are clear, personal, and continue to sell the candidate on the role at every step. A poor first response to a candidate application will undo all the good work you did in the job post getting them to apply.

10. Job descriptions are not job posts

Don’t confuse job postings with job descriptions. A job description should be a detailed description of the responsibilities and expectations for a job that a company uses internally. A job posting is meant to “sell” applicants on your company, team, location, and all the things that make working for you great.

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