Imagine what you can do in fourteen seconds. Maybe you can tie your shoes, pour a cup of coffee, or check your email. But, the resounding thread is how quickly time moves. According to LinkedIn, fourteen seconds is the average time a job seeker spends reviewing a job description before deciding if they will apply or not. With such a small window of opportunity, it is imperative to cultivate a job advertisement that immediately engages your prospect. Follow the below tips to attract not only more candidates, but higher quality candidates who are serious about your company.
Intertwine Personality with Technical Details
Candidates are searching for key information up front, including position, minimum requirements, responsibilities, start date, and salary range. However, they are also searching for an overall feel of the company and how they pick up on that is through the chosen verbiage. Job seekers want to know that there is a human behind the description rather than a robot. Interjecting bits of humor, and highlighting what is truly important at the heart of your company will attract someone who shares similar values and will ultimately be successful within the position. Although the technical details are the backbone of a job search, the added personality is essential to marketing your authentic self.
Keep it Short & Sweet
The ideal job description falls between 300-660 words (Textio 2020). Anything longer can deter the candidates and suggest a stringent environment, and anything shorter can withhold additional context. When browsing the job advertisement, candidates will scan the flow of your description and determine if they want to learn more or not. Similarly, there should be a digestible format that makes it easy to process the information. Avoid using large text blocks and make sure to include delineating tactics such as bullet points and bolded titles.
Utilize Your Current Employees
No one knows the position better than someone who is currently doing it. Seek out the help of your current employees to help craft a job description that includes the most salient information. Current employees are able to communicate what it feels like to work in the role and how to include that in the posting. Prompting them with questions such as “What do you enjoy most about your work?” and “What does a day in your life look like?” will help curate the most accurate and transparent description. This will also add to the information regarding culture which is at the forefront of all applicants minds. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). Using invitational language, such as, “Come join a creative team of … dedicated to …” is especially effective. This community feel can be communicated by your current employees in the job description, which will help the applicant feel like your company is a welcoming space.
Communicate Growth Opportunities & Performance Measurements
Although the roles and responsibilities are critical pieces of information, the candidate should also understand the growth opportunities as well as performance measurements to determine if they can be successful. The growth trajectory should include specific opportunities for advancement as well as an associated, concrete timeline. The specificities around growth will convey to your applicant that you are invested in their development and that the position is not stagnant. Additionally, including key performance metrics helps the candidate understand the overarching strategy of the position as well as the company standards.
The effort you put into writing a job advertisement will match the quality of applicants you receive. Job descriptions should continually be updated to match the evolution of the company as well as the competitive market. Utilizing the provided tips will help you captivate suitable candidates, which will in turn help expedite the hiring process. You catch more fly’s with honey, and you catch better candidates with well written job advertisements.