Everything you need to write an effective job advertisement in 2023
Writing a good job advert is both an art and a science.
It can be the difference between attracting highly skilled candidates that are going to make your organisation a success and scouring through hundreds of resumes that don’t quite fit the bill.
In 2023, it’s more important than ever to communicate your needs effectively to save both you and your candidates’ energy and time – and with over 200 graduate jobs across our site, we know a thing or two about what makes a job ad work.
That’s why we’re sharing the top 6 things you need to get right when writing about your roles and vacancies.
- A searchable job title
It might sound obvious but keeping your job title simple and searchable is one of the key aspects of a good job advertisement.
Listen, we love creativity as much as the next person but naming your newest tech role as “Digital Overlord” or “Retail Jedi” isn’t going to make it easier for candidates to find you. In fact, it can totally tank your recruitment campaign before it’s even gotten off the ground.
To maximise your reach and make sure you’re bringing in the right candidates, you need to reverse engineer your role and your advertisement and select a job title that will appear in searches for opportunities in your industry.
On a similar note, try not to add anything to your job title that isn’t immediately relevant. Things like “apply now” or “no experience necessary” don’t need to be right there in the job title and can appear a bit “spammy” which will likely turn away experienced candidates.
As a general rule, short, sweet, and searchable is the way to go.
- A specific location
The funny thing about people is that most of them want to know exactly where they’re going to be working.
Who would have thought?
Being specific about your location will help you narrow in on candidates within your geographical range, and ensure you don’t get to the final interview stage only to have your top candidate tell you “wait…I thought this role was remote?”
If you have multiple vacancies across a number of locations, then it might be a good idea to create specific job advertisements for each location. Despite, being a little time consuming, it yields better results as candidates are much more like to search for roles such as: “Marketing Executive in Manchester”, rather than “Marketing Executive, Nationwide”.
- A definitive salary range
We know that disclosing specific job salaries is a hot button issue in the world of graduate recruitment. While you might initially be hesitant to include a salary for your role, the real crux of the issue is that candidates want transparency.
We live in a fast-moving world where people don’t have the time to go through the whole recruitment process only to be offered a salary that doesn’t align with their expectations.
Recent studies have found that jobs that include a salary range receive around 30% more applications on average. This doesn’t mean that you have to lead with an exact number right out of the gate, but simply including a basic range will help you automatically screen out graduates that are looking for a role either above or below your identified range.
It’s also a great way to demonstrate how much you value both current and prospective employees, making your position more attractive and helping to boost your retention rates once you’ve finished hiring for the role.
- An attractive overview of the role
Like any other kind of advertisement, you purpose of your job ad is to actively sell the role.
When writing your job ad, be sure to use language that can be easily understood by everyone. Avoid industry jargon and opt for terms that will be familiar to the average person.
Your job ad should also be clear and concise. It should tell potential applicants everything they need to know about the position in a way that is easy for them to understand. Be sure to include information such as the job title, salary, benefits, and company culture.
Think about who you are trying to reach with your ad. What kind of person is going to be interested in this position? What kind of language will they respond to?
Once you have a good understanding of your target audience, you can start to craft your ad.
- A recognisable company brand
Having a recognisable company brand doesn’t mean you have to be a household name. It just means that your business’s mission, values, and vision are all communicated clearly.
Anyone can have a strong, recognisable brand!
If you’re not sure how to work it into your job advertisements – and use it to your benefit – then try including tangible successes and accomplishments in your ad to entice candidates.
Include information about what makes your company special and why someone should want to work there. Are you passionate about your mission? Do you offer great benefits? Let candidates know what sets you apart from other employers.
- A call to action
How do you end your job advertisements?
If you have to think about it, then you’re probably doing it wrong. Leaving your ads open-ended or without a clear call to action could be losing you hundreds of applications.
Instead of ending your ad with a basic “signing off” statement like “start your career with us today,” try including a direct CTA that prompts candidates to follow through: “Submit your CV”, “Contact [hiring manager], or even just a simple “Learn more here” is much more direct and gives candidates clear direction on how to take the next step.
It’s also a good idea to clarify how you would like your applications to be submitted. Should they submit their CV via your website? Should they send it across to a hiring manager? Should they complete a candidate application form first?
CTAs are there to help make each step easier.
