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Tips to Create an Effective Job Posting

 

You know how important a job ad is to help you attract the best job candidates for your open positions. Here are five tips to help you create and place ads that will work as hard as you do on getting to “You’re Hired!”

Tip #1: Write a full-length ad.

Now is not the time to conserve words or abbreviate. Be sure your ad is at least 150 words in length. No matter what position you’re hiring for, a thoroughly described post about the job, ideal candidate and company will help ensure your ad gets visibility on the full range of job aggregators and niche sites. If you’re struggling to know what to say, add an About Us section and an Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Tip #2: Minimize your use of “blind” ads.

You may need to keep a position search confidential, in which case we can help you place an ad without identifying the employer. When confidentiality is not essential, we strongly recommend that you identify the employer by name. Candidates are much more likely to respond to ads where they can see the employer, connect with contacts they may know, and do background research before applying.

Tip #3: Use industry-accepted terminology.

Some employers have evolved their own terminology to describe jobs and functions. Be sure you’re using descriptive terms about the position that reflect common industry usage. We’re not asking you to change the job title, but when you’re hiring for an Engineer IV, for example, your ad will stand a better chance of attracting the right candidates if it includes a description of the exact duties, such as “senior technical manager responsible for the mobile product line”. Tip #4: Say what the job pays.

Being upfront about salary helps avoid any disappointments later. If you’re not sure of the actual level, use a range. This guideline applies as much to salaried positions as to hourly or blue collar job openings. Similar sounding positions can have a wide range of pay, so clarity on the range you are offering is very helpful to candidates.

Tip #5: Have five or fewer mandatory requirements.

Your job candidates will focus on how their skillset and background fits with the position requirements. Candidates may be put off by a laundry list of mandatory needs. If you’ve got more than five major requirements, consider making some of them “preferred” so you capture a wider set of potential candidates to review.