There are thousands of job advertisements out there, how do you compete?
In a world where there are now more job ads than there are jobseekers, we thought we’d take a look at 10 tips to writing a great job description, so you can beat off the competition and find the prize candidates!
1.Make sure the job title is clear
This is by far the most important tip, because in order for candidates to find you, they need to be searching the right key words into their search bar. We’d recommend avoiding titles like ‘Content Guru’ and ‘Juggler’.
Think of job titles like you would your SEO and include your title and intro with the correct key words to rank at the top. If you use tools like indeed, you’ll be able to find the job titles candidates in your area are searching for. Use this to guarantee you reach those people.
2. Ensure your job advertisement is optimised for mobile phones
This means optimising your job advertisements for mobile is a must. We’d recommend the following:
- Keep your job title short and sweet
- Bullet point the responsibilities/skills needed and any other important info
- Make sure the job advertisement fits on the page without constant scrolling!
3. List the responsibilities clearly within the job description
This is a must. Job seekers want to know what their typical day looks like, and whether they’re up for the task. Be honest in your job adverts and list the main things the candidate will be managing.
To put candidates at ease, mention your excellent training programme, or even a disclaimer like “this is expected after the first six months of being in the job role.”
4. Sell your company
Do you have early finish Fridays? A football team? Regular socials, and Vegan Lunch Thursdays?
Tell them!
Jobseekers are looking for that culture and want to be a part of something great.
Pro tip: Add in your company’s mission. Every company has a purpose, and adding a little overview, or a link to find out more, may bring in more candidates. The less mystery, the less application anxiety!
5. Include a salary range and benefits
We understand this can be difficult if you don’t know the exact salary, and it depends on the person, but candidates do need to know at least an estimate before they apply for any role.
With life in the UK now more expensive than ever, the last thing people want is to go through three rounds of interviews only to find out the salary range is too low for them.
Pro tip: Search for your vacancy in your area to see what other employers are paying so you know what you’re competing with.
6. Gather an idea of who you’re looking for, and tailor your ad specifically for them
You may not know your exact match, but discussing with your colleagues about your ideal candidate may help tailor your ads and put you in the right direction.
Think of things like: Do we want them to be more creative, or technical? Are we interested in someone who’s very data driven, or someone more focused on the way everything is presented?
7. Be realistic with your requirements
Are you really going to find a graduate with 4 years of experience that also has 3 references from different employers?
We all have a dream candidate in our heads for a position, but a lot of the time they’d need to be Wonder Woman or Spider Man to have all the skills in such a short amount of time.
Break it up between required and desired.
It’s completely OK to want all of the skills, as long as you let the candidates know that some of them aren’t actually the be-all-and-end-all. You may have incredible candidates not apply for your jobs if they think all of these things are necessary.
8. Let them know if it’s remote, hybrid or on-site before they apply
Who’d have thought this would even be a thing pre-pandemic? Although plenty of businesses turned into WFH, the fact that this is now a deal breaker for some candidates is definitely a surprise.
If you’re on-site, or hybrid, it’s worth mentioning to filter out anyone too far away to commute to you, or people who are wanting that WFH life.
9. Paint a clear picture of the position
You want candidates to read the job advert and have a basic understanding of the tasks. If a candidate finds the ad confusing, they will most likely keep scrolling!
Make sure to check:
- You’ve done a ‘day in the life’
- There are no spelling mistakes
- Your sentences are correct, make perfect sense and flow easily
- You’re as specific as possible
10. Avoid jargon and keep things simple
Avoiding jargon makes life so much easier for candidates.
In your workplace, you may call something completely different to someone else’s. It’s best to keep things simple, and break things down so candidates don’t leave your job ad thinking you’re looking for experience they don’t have.
Pro tip: Read your ad to yourself and ask, ‘is there anything in this I’d struggle to understand if I didn’t work at this business?’
That way you can filter anything out that may be confusing.
We hope this has helped you when you write your next job ad. Remember to always be clear and concise!
