Companies can lose excellent potential employees if they skip creating a well-written and detailed job ad. Job ads are often overlooked as a method of screening candidates; they are taken half-seriously. By taking the time to read and review all 13 unlucky mistakes in the initial hiring process - starting with the job ad - you can avoid losing great candidates and additionally learn how to write a good job ad.
Don't make these mistakes if you want your job ad to be effective
1. no basis in the job advertisement
Unfortunately, some employers often forget (or deliberately fail to mention) the basics. To write a job ad - an effective one - and to attract the best, you can't be one of those who forgets. Sometimes companies ask for many years of experience or a lot of skills for a very low salary, but there is no information available about the company - they try to be anonymous thinking - that maybe just maybe someone can be found for such a low rate. Often there is also no information about the location, and this is a priority - candidates want to know at the very beginning where the workplace is located. If you omit these things from your job ad, don't expect too many responses. In the 21st century, there is no room for being incognito. If candidates don't take the hiring process seriously from the beginning, they certainly won't do so at a later stage.
Don't forget the basics, such as the company name and the industry it operates in, as well as the position, job description, responsibilities, contact information, location or start date.
2. too many qualification requirements
Employers often give unrealistic requirements to a job advertisement, thinking they can get away with it. On the other hand, recruiters should require only those requirements from potential employees that are job-related; otherwise it may be perceived as unprofessional. In addition, many employers make the mistake of not being precise enough in their advertisements. This makes the company appear sloppy and disorganized - two traits you definitely don't want your company to present! Remember that the way a job offer is written reflects what your company is really like, and this greatly affects your company's image.
Keep your requirements to a minimum and make your job advertisement clear and concise. You can divide the requirements into those basic but also those - welcome. Specify the responsibilities of the prospective employee's position.
3. required cover letter
The mention of required cover letters discourages potential applicants from applying. Although cover letters can tell a lot about another person, we should end their requirement in every application. This not only saves time, but also streamlines the recruitment process. Thanks to globalization and the rapid flow of information, we now receive dozens of times more applications per job offer than we used to. With such an increase, there is no way we can read every cover letter thoroughly.
If you want to save time and attract great candidates, skip the cover letter requirement and instead ask candidates to write a few sentences about themselves in the application form.
4. the job ad is either too long or too short
A job ad should be long enough to convey all the information a potential employee needs, but not so long that reading it becomes tedious. The ideal length for a job ad is between 200 and 400 words. Remove unnecessary content.
If a job ad is too short, it may not contain all the important information. On the other hand, if it is too long, potential employees may not read it in its entirety.
Ensure that the length of the job ad is appropriate - follow the competition.
5. just don't use these phrases
These phrases are hated by job candidates and employees. Immediately, candidates are reluctant and even though they move on to the next stage, they often give up when they go back to the ad and see these awful phrases again. These phrases are perceived negatively and greatly discourage people from applying. Write the hours of work only for single-shift work.
Ability to work under time pressure - write instead - about many interesting challenges, lack of boredom at work
To be determined - substitute - with specifics, the applying specialist wants to know where he stands, as soon as he reads the ad.
Shift work, rigid working hours - the ad will look friendlier when you write about - flexible working hours, regular breaks.
6. no salary information
Nowadays, there is no room for omitting this information. From the very beginning, right from the announcement phase, it must be made clear. Many job seekers believe that if a company does not state a salary, it is low. In fact, most people decide to change jobs because they want to earn more than before. Let's not forget that we go to work, not just for pleasure, but to earn, and that is the most important thing.
You can use salary ranges if you don't want to give a specific number, and don't forget that the gross/net distinction is important. This makes the job ad attractive and will attract the best candidates.
8. poor choice of language, vocabulary
In conclusion - remember that there is no single language suitable for every job ad. If you are targeting people after graduation - they are usually young and you can afford a more "loose" tone. If you are looking for people with several years of experience - the ad cannot be loose, and especially when you start preparing the job description.
To make your job ad a success, familiarize yourself with the language used in the group. The language and vocabulary used have a big impact on the success of a job ad.
9 Discrimination
"I will accept only men, non-LGBT people, without tattoos, women not planning to start a family" - yes, such situations still occur. There is no acceptance of this. This is unacceptable.
Forget about discriminating against people on the basis of gender, disability, race or religion - not only in job ads, but also on a daily basis. You can even write about the fact that such people are welcome at the company.
10. lack of information about what the company can provide for the candidate
As an employer, you outline the requirements a candidate should have. And do you always write about what you canoffer the candidate? If so that's great, if not....
Don't forget to mention the benefits you offer, such as opportunities for advancement, promotion, the ability to work remotely, a medical package and other such benefits.
11. legal clause vs. job advertisement
While compliance with the law during recruitment is essential, recruiters should not forget that they must also require candidates to include legal clauses in their applications. "I consent to the processing of my data..." - yes, that's the clause in question.
There are shorter and longer clauses. Make sure you do everything legally.
12. no information about the stages/process of recruitment
This aspect is slowly becoming mandatory in a recruitment announcement if it is a long-stage recruitment. It's also worth adding information about deadlines between stages. By writing about guaranteed feedback from the company - you will encourage even more. Candidates don't like to be ghosted - and neither do employers.
Add a few sentences about the recruitment process, and this will present your company as organized.
13. job ads only on one portal
Limiting yourself to posting job ads on one portal is ineffective. Nowadays, there are many free platforms that can be useful for companies, and perhaps the future ideal employee looks often, but on one platform you just don't use. Don't let this situation happen, then you will lose the opportunity to hire the best.
Use multiple portals to post job ads, among others. Facebook, LinkedIn, GoogleForJobs and others specialized in the industry. On most of these types of portals, there are no limits on the number of job postings.
As you can see, writing an effective job ad is not so easy. When you find a job ad template to fill out - forget about it - you can! Sometimes, if you do not know how to do it - it is better to entrust the task to someone experienced.
If you are inexperienced in this field or just don't know where to start, you can always enlist the help of a recruitment agency. Not only does it help you create a job advertisement for your company, but it also finds the most qualified candidates and saves you time.
Fast Forward Solutions - your source for top professionals
Fast Forward Solutions specializes in recruitment services in the areas of IT, e-commerce, sales and B2B marketing. Our rigorous methodology combines role profiling, executive search and candidate assessment, supported by consulting services. As a result, we guarantee efficiency and rapid acquisition of the best talent in the market. With our support, any company can increase sales, reduce operating costs, improve the efficiency of human resources management and strengthen investor confidence.
About the author: Tomasz Bożyczko
Tomasz Bożyczko is an experienced sales leader, CEO and founder of Fast Forward Solutions. His passion for recruiting and developing teams has contributed to the success of many organizations. Tomasz is an expert in hiring top talent and improving recruitment processes.
We hope these tips will help you create compelling job opportunities and optimize your recruitment process to attract the most valuable employees for your company.
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