No applications to your job adverts? Stop using descriptions!

To put it simply – Job descriptions tell, job adverts sell!

Both job descriptions and job adverts have their place in the process of bringing the right candidate to the table, but if you use the former in the latter’s place, you’re shooting yourself in the foot!

A further breakdown

Do you think details such as, ‘produce a report every two weeks’ or ‘attend regular meetings’ are going to make your vacancy more appealing?

…They’re not.

52% of job seekers say the quality of a job advert is very or extremely Influential on their decision to apply for a job, according to LinkedIn.

A good way of understanding the difference between a job description and a job advert is to think of it as sending out a product description for a nice chair, to a potential buyer. A product description will list information that might well be important, but when browsing at chairs people don’t want to be instantly bogged down with the fine details about the exact dimensions, or optional back support. Instead, they want to see the item portrayed to its best advantage so they can imagine how much better their life would be with it. The full description, in all its technical glory, comes later.

A job description serves its purpose by informing potential employees of the nitty-gritty of what the job entails. But first, you need to entice applicants to want to read the nitty-gritty…

How can I make my job advert stand out?

The easiest way to get the reader interested is to let them know what’s in it for them and why it’s better than what they are currently doing. And you need to do it as quickly – the reader has finite attention and will soon move on. Try and focus on things such as training and progression, better rewards, commitment to work/life balance, more autonomy, and so on.

Stay in tune with who you are and what kind of candidate you want to join your company, the more you get that across in your advert, the quicker you will find your perfect match!

According to LinkedIn, if the tone of your job post doesn’t match your culture, applicants are 2-4x less likely to apply.

I’ve nailed the job advert, what’s next?

Potential candidates reading your job descriptions are intrigued at this point. This is where the details matter. Include comprehensive information on the role, the responsibilities involved, more on your company and its culture – The nitty gritty, which we spoke about earlier.

However, just because the candidate is willing to give you more time by this stage, doesn’t mean you should make it harder for them. Job descriptions are usually loaded with internal buzzwords and jargon which might make sense to anyone currently working at your company but to anyone else, they’ll read like a foreign language. Be mindful – If it makes candidates feel ignorant or uninformed, it doesn’t foster a sense of connection to your company.

According to LinkedIn, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job. Be sure to portray a positive outlook to your employer brand and explain the work perks mentioned in your job advert here but in further detail! Can you offer support for continued professional development? Include it! The more you can portray the positive company culture; the more people will apply.

If you would like some help with talent acquisition, get in touch with us. Our team will be more than happy to help!