Creating Job Postings That Attract The Right Candidates

Posted by: Karen Booher on November 18th, 2021

Are you not getting enough quality responses from your job postings? Yes, the candidate market is still at a lull so that could certainly be a factor. And now, with the holidays approaching, many Job Seekers are starting to take a break from their job search until the first of the new year.

Now is a great time to spruce up your job postings! Try incorporating some of the following tips and strategies to get a positive boost in your qualified response rate.

Pay Close Attention To Your Job Title

It’s okay to use a different job title in your posting than what your actual job title is internally. Most people search by job title, so your job title has the greatest impact on whether candidates will click on your listing.

• Stay away from using abbreviations. Especially in job titles, if you abbreviate you risk not having your job show up in searches. For example, write out Human Resources vs. HR; Manager vs. Mgr.; Vice President vs. VP.
• Don’t get creative with your job titles. You will want to use the most crisp and commonly used job title to attract and draw in job seekers. For example, Receptionist is going to get a better response than Ambassador of First Impressions; General Manager is better than Business Unit Leader.

Get Creative in Your Job Description

Once you’ve “hooked” the job seeker with your job title, now is the time to get more creative. It may be easiest to copy and paste your job description into your job posting, but are a mere list of job duties and requirements going to set your company apart and help to “reel in” those top candidates?

Long lists of detailed job duties are not going to entice a candidate or market your position well. Consider summarizing the job in a Position Overview, with still enough details to give a good picture of what the position is all about.

Your job postings are a reflection of your company’s culture. More than ever before, job seekers are looking for a company that is a good cultural fit for them. Be sure to include some of the following:

• Your company’s mission and values. Millennials, the largest group in today’s job market, have made it clear that they are looking for more than just a paycheck. They want to make sure a company’s mission, vision, and values align with theirs. Don’t leave these important factors out.
• Highlight things Job Seekers are interested in. Is there a hybrid or remote working option? Who does this position report to? What are possible career paths for growth? Is travel required?
• Compensation and Benefits. Not only are good pay and benefits an attraction to Job Seekers, but it is now a Colorado law that you include this information in your job postings. Click here to read our earlier blog diving deeper into these requirements.

Qualifications are Important – Specify if They are Required or Preferred

List all necessary certifications, experience, specific skills, and education – and specify required or preferred. It’s better to deter unqualified candidates than to write a job description so broad that everyone in the market for a job applies to it.

In Conclusion

Bottom line… if you can make some effective changes in your job postings to improve upon your company’s recruiting results, it would be a very worthwhile exercise. Here are some questions for those who are creating your company’s job postings:

• What % of job posting responses are you calling?
• What % of job posting responses are you scheduling interviews with?
• What makes your job posting stand out among the others that job seekers are looking at?

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Sources:

1. “How To Create Great Job Titles“, glassdoor for Employers, by the Glassdoor Team, September 7, 2021.
2. “10 Tips for Writing SEO Friendly Job Descriptions“, glassdoor for Employers, by the Glassdoor Team, February 24, 2020.