Writing a job ad is just like writing any advertisement. You need to know your target audience, address them in the language they understand and offer them what they want.
There’s nothing worse than writing an ad for a position you are hoping to fill, posting it online or even running it in a local paper (yes … believe it or not this does still happen!) and then either not receiving any responses at all, or perhaps worse still, being inundated with applications from people who are completely not suitable for the role.
Improving the quality (as opposed to quantity) of your response starts by having a well-written advertisement (often the first impression a candidate has of your organisation) that is really going to target the appropriate audience.
Exactly who is your target audience? What are they doing now? What steps are they taking to look for a new opportunity?
Your job ad needs to speak directly to them. Otherwise you seriously may as well roam the streets like a 19th Century town crier calling out to every man and his dog in the hope that someone hears you.
An effective job ad is not just a job description. It is a carefully crafted message with the aim of attracting the best qualified candidates for your job.
Our friends at Headway Capital have created this awesome Infographic which will no doubt help to sharpen the focus of your ad, to the point where it only draws in the most qualified candidates.
Author
Paul Slezak
With over two decades of experience in the recruitment and human capital industry, Paul Slezak has established himself as a transformative force in the realm of leadership and career coaching, group facilitation, and talent acquisition. His unique perspective, drawn from his early career as a leader in global recruitment firms and his entrepreneurial success with his own start-up, has enabled him to make a significant impact on leaders, teams, and organizations across the world. Paul's passion for helping others achieve success and high performance is evident in his commitment to transforming leaders and their teams at local, national, and international levels. He specializes in promoting the importance of human-centered intelligence, focusing on soft skills such as authenticity, transparency, and trust to complement business-centered acumen and drive better workplace outcomes. As an impartial facilitator, Paul brings his expertise to team offsites and strategy days, ensuring alignment on goals, values, and culture while keeping participants on task. His engaging and energetic presence, coupled with his unique "entertraining" and "edutaining" delivery style, enables him to connect with audiences both large and intimate, sharing personal and professional anecdotes that inspire and energize.
