How to write a job advert: Examples and tips to help you find the right candidate.
Looking for the perfect candidate for a new job role? Designing a great job advert gets you halfway there. Find out how to write a good job advert with Adobe Express.
A job advert is the first impression your company makes to attract astounding talent. When done right, a job advert can help you sift through a sea of prospective applicants and find the right talent immediately – saving you time and money. When rushed or poorly structured, you might find yourself with a list of irrelevant candidate applications, or worse, none.
On the hunt for new talent? Here are a few tips for writing your next job advert. Besides helping you understand what a job advert is, we’ll take you through some key pointers for creating a good advertisement for your next vacancy.
What is a job advert?
A job advert describes an open position in your company or business that informs and encourages qualified candidates to apply. Hiring managers will usually post a job advert on the company’s online career portal, a third-party recruitment website, or on professional social media platforms like LinkedIn.
Once your job advert is live, skilled and qualified candidates looking for their next role can apply and later interview for a job if they seem like a good match.
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What should a job advert include?
Industries are diverse, so the details you include in a job advert may depend on the sector and level of experience for the role. However, some features of a job advert are non-negotiables. These include:
- A job title – An accurate title makes it easier for job seekers to find your advert online. Remember that roles vary from sector to sector, so be specific with your title and use recognisable keywords. You can add a sub-heading to your title to provide more context or even italicise and bolden to draw extra attention.
- Salary. Job adverts with no salary mention are a huge turn-off for job seekers. In fact, 60% of job seekers rule out employers who are not transparent about the salary. While it’s common practice to see companies concealing salaries, leaving out pay information could drive away the top talent.
- Location. Location is a crucial factor for candidates when reviewing and applying for a job. Providing the location in your job advert will help applicants organise their travel plans around working hours and determine whether they’ll need to relocate or work remote.
- Business name and information. Give prospective applicants a name and brief business overview but keep specific details relevant to the job. For example, you can mention the sector your company trades in, the type of clients you have, and the training opportunities available.
- Job description, including key responsibilities. A clear description of the role, duties and responsibilities gives applicants an insight into what they can expect and whether their skills will be well-suited for the role.
- Minimum role requirements. How qualified is an applicant? Being clear on the required qualifications and skills makes it easier to attract and shortlist the right candidates based on whether they meet the qualification criteria.
- Any nice-to-haves. Given the competitive landscape, you might want to define your ideal candidate more by mentioning additional skills you find desirable for the role but not a requirement.
- Contact details. Provide contact details in case a potential applicant wants to contact the company if they have further questions about the role. This can include the hiring manager’s name and work email address.
- Application closing date. A closing date lets applicants know when the interview process may begin after all applications have been submitted.
4 editable job advert examples.
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How to write a job advert to attract the right candidates.
There’s no-one-size-fits-all when it comes to creating a good job advert. Some roles are more involving than others (i.e. C-suite-level roles), so they might cover a broader range of responsibilities and duties compared to entry-level positions. Nevertheless, you want to keep your job advert as succinct as possible. You can start polishing your job adverts today by:
1. Deciding on a better job title.
Keep your titles short and straight to the point. A one-word title can get you 29% more applications than a five-word job title. More so, brief job descriptions – less than 100 words – can help you receive 72% more applications than descriptions with 201 to 500 words.
2. A short and sweet introduction to your business.
Include a few sentences that help candidates know what your company is about and the opening you’re advertising for. Incorporate target keywords that help candidates know if this is a role for them. It can also be a great opportunity to give more information about why you’re a good company to work for and why they should bring their talents to your firm.
3. Work out who your perfect candidate might be.
Ideally, you want to do some background research on what a perfect candidate might look like for the role, especially if it’s a new opening. If you have an opening for a client-facing role, you might want someone who has experience with client management, presentation skills, client success and so on.
Creating a candidate persona can help you clearly define the duties and responsibilities for the role in your job advert. In turn, this can help prospective applicants work out whether their experience and qualifications are a suitable match.
4. Set a timeframe for the job advert and hiring process.
Finding the right talent in a highly competitive market can be tricky, especially with other competitors looking to snap them up at any chance. So, you want to get your job advert live as quickly as possible and reach your preferred applicants before other competitors do. A faster hiring process can also limit the chances of a candidate dropping out or being lured by another opportunity.
5. Highlight the benefits and perks.
Today’s employees want to feel valued at work, so don’t forget to include your business’s benefits and perks in the job advert. Whether that’s a free fruit basket every Friday or an affordable cycle-to-work scheme, be sure to include anything related to wellbeing and mental health.
How to bring your job adverts to life.
What makes a good job advert?
In a perfect world, a good job advert makes you spend as little time as possible to find the most qualified candidate within your budget. While that’s easier said than done, here are a few tips to help you create a job advert that can attract the right talent.
- Make sure your expectations are clear. Ensure your job advert contains all the essential information, such as job title, duties and responsibilities, location, and job description. This not only boosts your job advert’s presence online but also ensures you receive more relevant job applications.
- Avoid any buzzwords or business jargon. A job advert with a lot of jargon may have a negative and discouraging effect on application rates. Avoid buzzwords and pepper your advert with clear and concise keywords.
- Proofread your advert. Ensure your job advert is clear of any spelling and grammar mistakes, as this can make you look sloppy and unprofessional. Proofread it several times before pushing it live.
- Think about the structure. A job advert with big chunks of text can deter candidates from reading what the job entails and what your company has to offer. Use bullet points and small paragraphs to create a clear and concise layout.
4 free job advert poster ideas.
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