Your Job Ad Might Be Costing You Great Candidates

“Lost time is never found again.” Benjamin Franklin

In today's market, employers aren't just competing with other businesses for talent.

They're competing for a candidate's attention.

Job seekers may be looking at several opportunities at once, often during a lunch break, after work or while scrolling on their phone.

If your job ad is unclear, overloaded with information or takes too long to get to the point, they may simply move on.

The best job ads aren't necessarily the longest. They're the clearest.

Keep It Simple

A job advertisement doesn't need to be a three-page job description.

Candidates want quick answers:

• Who are you?

• What does your business do?

• What is the role?

• What are you looking for?

• What can you offer?

The goal isn't to tell candidates everything.

The goal is to give the right candidates enough information to want to apply.

Tell Them Who You Are

Don't forget to sell the business behind the vacancy.

What do you do? What makes your organisation different? Why should someone want to work with you?

Keep it short, honest and human.

Candidates are applying to people, not just positions.

Be Clear About the Role

Long lists of responsibilities don't necessarily tell someone what the job is actually about.

Focus on:

• What they'll be doing

• Who they'll work with

• What you're looking for

• What success looks like

And avoid the unrealistic wish list.

Ask yourself:

"What are the three to five things someone genuinely needs to succeed in this role?"

Great candidates won't always tick every box.

Tell Them What's In It for Them

Recruitment is a two-way conversation.

Employers spend a lot of time explaining what they want, but candidates also want to know what they're getting.

Think about career development, flexibility, leadership, culture, training and benefits.

You don't need a sales pitch.

Just be honest about why someone should choose you.

Make It Easy to Read

Remember that candidates may be reading your advertisement on their phone.

Use:

• Short paragraphs

• Clear headings

• Bullet points

• Simple language

• A clear call to action

Avoid huge blocks of text, unnecessary jargon and complicated wording.

Don't make candidates work hard to understand the opportunity you're trying to sell them.

The Click Talent Take

Candidates are busy. They're comparing opportunities and deciding quickly where to invest their time.

Writing a great job ad isn't about fancy language or cramming in every detail.

Candidates don't need more information. They need the right information.

Tell them who you are.

Tell them what the job is.

Tell them what you need.

Tell them what you offer.

Then make it easy to read, easy to understand and easy to apply.

Because you could have a great job and a great company, but if your advertisement doesn't communicate that, the right candidate may never find out.

Up Next: The application process itself, and how employers can lose great candidates before they've even completed an application.

By Amanda Dubier