Five tips to make your job adverts stand out from the crowd

In a recent Ciphr webinar, Adrian McDonagh, founder of recruitment experts EasyWeb, provided some great tips on how to make your job adverts stand out from the crowd and attract top applicants

When your job advert is just one of thousands sitting on a recruitment site, you want to be sure to do all you can to get the best candidates applying. Here are five tips from EasyWeb’s Adrian McDonagh that are guaranteed to get results.

1. Use a clear job title

Firstly, if you want your advert to be found, it is vital to use a job title that passes the ‘Ronseal test’ – ie one that “does exactly what it says on the tin”. McDonagh offered the example of a recent job advert for a ‘wine wizard’ that attracted very few applications because anyone looking for a wine buyer role would be unlikely to use these search terms. He recommended recruiters use clear, self-explanatory keywords so vacancies can be found easily and attract the maximum attention. Likewise, the location of the vacancy should be clearly stated and not disguised by flowery language, so your ad can be found by local applicants.

2. Keep it simple

In fact, keeping it simple could be said to be a theme to bear in mind when drafting your job ads. Remember that this is an advert and not a job spec, so, wherever possible, avoid lengthy adverts that go into too much detail. Use a clear job title (see above) and include brief details of what makes the role unique. Keeping your job ad simple and succinct will also make it more readable and attractive to candidates who are using mobile devices. As a general rule of thumb, remove generic responsibilities of the role – you can always send candidates a full job spec after they apply.

3. But also try to show some creativity

While simplicity is key for a good job advert, showing your creative side can help your vacancy stand out and appeal to candidates who would be a good fit for your culture. One way to get noticed is to mention an unusual staff benefit in your ad. Of course, this will need to be in keeping with the role and your culture, but including even one slightly quirky benefit can really make your ad stand out. McDonagh cited a recent vacancy advertised by Honest Burgers that said successful candidates could “ up to four mates for free burgers once a month” – certainly a unique selling point.

4. Write for the candidate

If you want to win over the best, be sure to ‘talk’ directly to your candidates by using language such as ‘you’, ‘you’re’ and ‘your’. You should also be aware that any claims you make that your organisation is a great place to work need to be substantiated, so candidates find you credible and are eager to apply. Quoting a good employee rating on Glassdoor is always a wise move and any awards you have won should certainly be mentioned. For example, stating “You’ll be joining a company with a great culture, who were recently confirmed as a Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to work for”, if true, is sure to attract attention.

5. Aim for authenticity

Finally, if you are including some content about your company – and why wouldn’t you, if it’s a great place to work? – it is important to convey a clear and true impression of the culture of your organisation. While you may want to keep this light and entertaining to show what a fun workplace you have, you should also be authentic. Try to keep it fresh and avoid overused words, such as ‘passionate’ and ‘transparent’ in your job descriptions, which may just induce a groan. Similarly, don’t try too hard to make your workplace sound ‘hip and happening’ because this is likely to come across as false and even cringeworthy.

Want to know more about making your job adverts really stand out from the crowd? Watch our webinar (below) now for some extra pointers.