It’s no surprise that how you put together and advertise your job posting has a direct impact on both the quantity and quality of candidates you attract to your open position. Here are the 5 key points to remember when writing a job posting for maximum success.
1. Use Common Job Titles
Clean and common job titles get your job posting to show at the top of search results. When writing the job posting, consider the job seeker point of view: what would make the most sense for them to search and find your job?
Although it might be tempting to stand out and use a fun, catchy title like “Coding Ninja”, or use an internal title such as “Cust Serv Level II”, neither job title would match what candidates actually search for.
2. Make the Job Description About Them
The purpose of a job description is to sell the opportunity, not the company. What makes this job special, and why is this job even better at your organization? Make sure you can answer these questions when writing the job posting. After all, the candidates reading your job posting are asking “What’s in it for me?”
Additionally, know your audience. Who are you trying to reach, and what is unique about them? For example, what is important to Boomers is different for GenX, and equally different for Millennials.
3. Do Not Make the Job Requirements a Wish List
Ideally, you want the greatest candidate possible. However, the job posting should attract job seekers, not dissuade them from applying. List only the preferred or truly required skills and experience to maximize interest.
For example, does the job really require 10 years of experience? Does it really require a college degree? Must a candidate truly match your entire list of skills & experience? If your job description has morphed into a lengthy wish list that rules out most potential candidates, then you’ve failed to capture all the great possibilities. Candidates will decline to apply if they feel they don’t tick all the boxes.
4. Salary: It’s Ok to Discuss it Up Front
Job seekers do not want to waste their time interviewing if the pay is far below their expectation. In today’s job seekers market, if you don’t disclose salary information up front, be prepared to discuss it on the first call.
Candidates may assume you are paying less than employers that do disclose pay, and consequently, may not apply for your job. Case in point, job postings that include salary ranges get 30% more applicants than those without.
5. Brag About Your Benefits
Often, a job posting is all description and requirements, and very little about the benefits (usually, just a quick one-liner). Successful job postings detail the benefits. If you offer an amazing benefits package, describe it in detail. If you do not, look into non-traditional benefits or ancillary options as a benefit and highlight those. In many cases, the benefits (coverages and costs) are the final deciding factor for candidates choosing between two equal job offers.
There is a direct correlation between application conversion rate and the number of non-cash benefits listed in a job ad -- including four or more benefits in your job description can yield up to a 22.5% application rate.
Maximize the return on your job posting investment.
These 5 key points to remember when writing a job posting will directly improve your attraction to job seekers, your application rate, and the quality of candidates from which you chose from. If you have any questions, or would like assistance with job descriptions, job postings, or any other HR and talent acquisition related item, feel free to reach out to us at any time.