Did you know that 35.5% of jobs are fulfilled through job board listings? The data from Statistics Brain proves that job boards are still relevant today. These boards are effective if used correctly. However, this doesn’t mean you can simply throw up a listing and expect to attract quality candidates for the position. You probably already know that you need to include skills and years of experience in the listing. Here are five tips to keep in mind before publishing that job ad.
Five ‘Don’ts’ For Creating a Job Ad
1. Don’t Create a Vague Title
Your title is the first thing that a job hunter will see on the employment boards. It may also be the last thing if it’s so vague that they don’t know what the position is about. Don’t try to be too trendy and load it with buzz words. Stick to professional-sounding titles that are easy to search for. Less is more here, so keep it to the point. If you aren’t sure, search the job listings to see what phrases your competitors use.
2. Don’t be Unprofessional
It should go without saying that you shouldn’t use slang or cuss words in your listing. You also want to match your listing to the people you’re trying to hire. While some jobs and markets may work well with a little written personality, keep it professional. If you’re looking for a social media manager for an up-and-coming trendy teen clothing company, you’ll want to aim for a more playful job ad style. If you’re looking to fill a position at a bank, take the ad in a more serious direction.
3. Don’t Overload Your Audience
It’s important to know the difference between a legal job description and an advertisement designed to attract the best possible candidates. Your legal description will be written by your company’s HR department, laying out in detail what is expected of the applicant. Meanwhile, the ad needs to be brief and eye-catching or candidates browsing the job board may get bored or overwhelmed and move on. Stick to the highlights of what you’ll need and break up blocks of text with bullet points.
4. Don’t Use Outdated Keyword Tactics
Once upon a time, employers discovered they could give their job ads a boost by including a monstrously long string of invisible keywords at the bottom of the listing. These keywords rarely had anything to do with the job itself, attracting the wrong eyes and wasting everyone’s time. Modern search engines have left this tactic in the dust, so it doesn’t even work anymore. Just don’t do it.
5. Don’t Create an Unbalanced Listing
The hiring process goes both ways. When writing your job ad, don’t just create a long list of requirements. Explain what you offer as well. After all, you’re trying to persuade a talented and passionate candidate to join your team. You only get one chance to make a positive first impression.
From Job Boards to Staffing Agencies
Posting an ad on a job board is one tool in your talent hunting arsenal, but you’ll get better results if you cast a wider net. An employment staffing agency like Ad-VANCE Talent Solutions can directly connect you to an experienced and motivated new segment of the workforce. We have helped fulfill positions in a wide variety of industries including Hospitality, Government, Health Care, and seasonal or work-to-hire jobs. Contact us today to find out more.