The job ad. It can be one of the most important stories ever told. For job seekers, a well-written job ad “story” can attract them to a career that could change their lives. For organizations, properly crafting that story will help bring in top talent that will help realize its goals now and into the future. For both, it’s about connecting.

A well-written job ad can be the starting point for a mutually beneficial relationship for years to come. So, where do you start? How do you make sure you’re attracting the most talented applicants that are a fit for your roles? Like any good story, it starts at the beginning.

Table of Contents

• Step #1 | The Job Title Sets the Stage
• Step #2 | The Opening Describes Your Company
• Step #3 | The Body Describes the WIIFM
• Step #4 | Point Top Talent to Take Action

Quick Note

When you’re putting together your job ad, make sure you pay close attention to style.

• Avoid errors in spelling and punctuation
• Keep paragraphs and sentences concise
• Make sure the ad flows easily from top to bottom
• Use bulleted lists to break out important information
• Utilize HTML, color, bold titles, and white space

Step #1 | The Job Title Sets the Stage

Almost every story written has a title. Some are good, some are bad. But, all in all, every story should have one. A job ad is no different. 

Many organizations fall into the trap of creating unique and creative titles for their positions. This may work well within the walls of your organization with people who know what those titles encompass and how they tie into your culture. Once those titles reach outside your walls, unique and creative can transform into confusing and frustrating. If a top candidate wouldn’t immediately recognize the job as something they are qualified for, they will move right along to another job ad that they understand. 

By trying to set your company apart from the rest – you’ve done just that and set yourself out of the market for qualified candidates. Simple and standard job titles are the only way to go. They save you from confusing and losing top candidates. Including the functional area that your position covers (i.e., Engineer, Controls, HVAC, Accounting, Marketing, Sales) and the level of the position too (i.e., Specialist, Technician, Team Lead, Manager) makes the job title specific and descriptive. In addition, using standard terms helps with your SEO efforts and allows search engines to easily pick up on your ads.

Know Your Audience

Do you know who your audience is? If you don’t, you’re going to have a hard time speaking to them in a language they understand. Remember: If you confuse them, you lose them. 

It’s not about your organization’s language; it’s about the candidate’s. There will be plenty of time to immerse them in your culture once you land them on your team. Until then, avoid the internal or industry acronyms. If you use terminology that doesn’t apply to them, they won’t apply to you.

Step #2 | The Opening Describes Your Company

This is where you can set yourself apart from the crowd. Tell candidates about your company and why being a part of your team is an opportunity they don’t want to miss. Sell your company and what you do to get them interested enough to read on. 

What makes your environment unique and what have you done to earn a top candidate’s interest? What is your place in the industry and where are you going? What have you been recognized for? What do your employees say about you? Tell your story – quickly. Since you need to keep it short, let the candidate know where they can find more. Put in a link for your career page, Facebook, or LinkedIn employment page. These are great locations for details. 

After you have attracted candidates with your unique descriptors, you’ll need to let them know a description of the job itself. Give them a “day in the life” story outlining the general duties and responsibilities of the position.

Step #3 | The Body Describes the WIIFM

Keep in mind that one-third of your ad should be about what you need from the applicant and two-thirds about what they are going to get from you as an employer (or the what’s in it for me- WIIFM). When describing what you need to the applicant, be concise. Use bullet points to reinforce your required and preferred qualifications. This should be the shortest part of the ad. www.birddoghr.com • sales@birddoghr.com • 888.482.7021 4 Easy Steps to Create Your Best Job Ad Once they know what is required of them as an applicant, let them know what they are going to get in the form of:

• Work environment
• Benefits
• Hours
• Culture
• Training
• Salary
• Advancement opportunities

Relocation assistance can also be perceived as a benefit. If you’re offering relocation, make sure you add some information about the area or links where the candidate can learn why they should want to relocate.

Step #4 | Point Top Talent to Take Action

You’ve reached your target audience. You’ve told your story. You’ve created excitement and interest in the opportunity. Now, it’s time for the happy ending. Give your applicants a specific call to action. You can link them directly to your career page or create an “Apply Now” button that takes them directly to the application. Doing both and having multiple ways for the applicant to take action is always recommended.

A recent CareerBuilder.com study found that enabling online applications increases total applications by over 25%. Don’t put them in a position where they have to search for a way to apply. Make it as easy as possible to turn in an application. In addition, it’s critical that your website/ATS application is easy to understand and complete.

Sometimes telling your story isn’t as easy as you thought, or the job is very specialized, and you’re having difficulty deciding how to reach top candidates. There are many things to consider – like compliance, for example. If you need to outsource your ads, the professionals at BirdDogHR™ have written thousands of job ads for customers over the years. Most importantly, we stay on top of changes in Equal Opportunity Employment outreach (EOE) and, for those companies with federal contracts, we know exactly what you need to meet your human resource and legal obligations and just how to say it.