Many hiring managers struggle to write the perfect job ad, and it’s easy to see why. A job advert needs to be interesting, compelling and accurate, and it needs to tick several boxes. It needs to be written with your target market in mind, whilst also appealing to a wide range of people. This explains why businesses, on average, take 44 days to find someone to fill a role. If you make a hiring mistake, you could find yourself back at square one, starting the recruitment process from scratch. But, a flawless job description can make things easier. It can make recruiting quicker, easier and more successful.
Tips for Creating a Great Job Advert
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Think About Your Job Ad Title
It’s important for your job title to convey the right message. It needs to be accurate, but it also needs to grab candidates’ attention. Candidates are more likely to engage with a job advert if they see it as a way to progress their career and experience. It’s difficult to engage talented candidates if the job title is vague or unclear, or if it uses buzzwords such as ‘ninja’ or ‘wizard’. You need to clearly describe what the role involves, as candidates are unlikely to apply for a role that they don’t understand. At Cherry Professional, we have the experience needed to know what job ad titles really work in search engines and how to optimise them.
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Determine Your Audience
When you are writing a job advert, you need to do so with a specific audience in mind. You need to choose wording and values that your target audience will engage with, you want them to resonate with the advert. There are numerous different ads on a job board, so yours needs to stand out and grab candidates’ attention. This can be done by addressing them personally, by writing in a way that appeals to their personality and skill set. You also need to be realistic about what you are asking for. It’s not easy to determine your audience but, thanks to our many years of working in recruitment, we can help. Cherry Professional have experience in writing a job advert that hits the sweet spot. You need to find a balance between not asking for too much experience and ruling your target audience out, without only attracting entry level candidates if your role requires experience.
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Highlight the Company Culture
When someone is looking for a job, they are looking for an enjoyable and welcoming place, as it’s where they will spend much of their time. This is why it’s so important to promote the company culture in your job advert. Think about why candidates would want to work for your business, and what makes your business unique. Things such as flexible work arrangements, hybrid working, health and wellness benefits, and a good work-life balance all help to attract talented candidates. At Cherry, we have experience in really ‘selling’ your company and workplace. We will highlight why working for you is the right choice and how it will benefit a candidate both professionally, but also personally.
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Explain the Application Process
Applying for a new job can be a long process, so make sure that candidates know what your application process Provide information about a deadline, if there is one, and who to contact to apply. Let them know what they need to send as part of their application, such as a CV, cover letter and portfolio. It’s also a good idea to provide a brief description of the interview process, such as if they will be required to prepare a presentation or how many interview stages there are. There’s a huge amount of work that goes into an application process, but we can simplify everything, benefiting you and your candidates.
Though job ads are a crucial part of finding a new employee, they are not the be all and end all, and often the help of a recruitment expert is what sets your job advert apart from the rest. With our expertise, we can enhance every part of the recruitment process from crafting the perfect job ad to finding candidates, from screening and interviewing candidates, to really ‘selling’ your company.
At Cherry Professional, we have seen thousands of job ads. We know what works and what doesn’t. We can help you master the art of attracting the right candidates, as well as enhance your whole recruitment process. Get in touch to find out more.