Job advert

With the job market at its most competitive ever, trying to recruit the right new team member for your business has become even harder.

Potential candidates are looking for much more these days and the job advert may be the first impression they get of your business, so the wording really matters.

It is worth spending time on preparing your job advert and considering carefully where best to advertise.  There are an enormous range of online websites that can host your advert.

What to include

The job title is important.  Consider whether you perhaps use an obscure job title within your business that candidates may not immediately recognise. Perhaps using a job title that is more widely used will help guide candidates to your advert.   Some employers include a salary, as it can help to find candidates who are genuinely interested.

It is important to include the location.  Also make it clear if travel is involved.  The opening to your ad should be a brief outline of your Company. If candidates are interested, they will find out more from your website.  Don’t waffle as it will lose the candidates’ interest but do give information that candidates would want to know such as work culture, how long you’ve been in business, awards and industry accolades etc.

Try to give an interesting introduction to your company and to the role – you need to hook candidates into reading the entire advert.

Outline the role and the responsibilities – some recruiters use bullet points.  Remember you have to hold the interest of the applicant – they may have plenty of other similar jobs to apply for, so you need to stand out.

Detail the key requirements as regards qualifications and experience and state which areas of expertise are desirable and which are essential.

Include the hours of work and if you are willing to be flexible as this can help attract more candidates. Is the job permanent or temporary?  Is it to cover maternity leave?  This needs to be covered in your advert.

What not to include

This might sound obvious but don’t be negative in the wording of your advert – this will definitely turn candidates off.  Be aware of using jargon, if the candidate doesn’t understand what you are trying to say they will assume the job isn’t for them. 

Do not include too many criteria or you won’t have any applicants for the role.  Of course it is essential that you do not include anything that may discriminate such as, “Salesman wanted”. 

What do candidates need to know?

The key points candidates need to know are; a brief background of the Company, location, hours, salary range and do they have the right skills and which are required and which are desirable.

Where to advertise

There are recruitment websites which cover particular industries and specialisms and these can be helpful for recruiters eg. TES for education, Charityjob for charity appointments, Robert Half for accountancy and finance etc.  Many employers use large general recruitment sites with broad UK coverage such as Indeed, Monster or Reed – these attract a huge number of jobseekers. There are also local recruitment websites covering particular areas of the country.

It is worth spending time on your advert to ensure that you ultimately attract the right candidates.  This is especially important in the current difficult recruitment market.

If you’ve been trying to recruit and have been struggling, why not find out if we can help you find that ideal candidate. Get in touch today, and we can tell you more about our Fixed Fee recruitment options.