5 steps to writing the perfect job ad

Over 180,000 new job ads were posted in the first week of January 2023. That’s A LOT of competition! So how do you stand out?

As an employer you only have a matter of seconds to hook potential candidates, so nailing your job ad is crucial. We’ve seen too many ads that are just endless bullet points of requirements, rather than an enticing advert for the role and company itself.

But, how do you make sure you attract the best talent and get them to hit that apply button?

Keep reading to find our top five tips for writing a great job advert

1. Make that title pop

Starting with an obvious one here, but it’s imperative that your job title is 100% accurate. Nothing ambiguous, vague or overly complicated. Make sure it reflects the function of the role, plus the seniority level that you’re looking for. You don’t want to turn candidates off by giving a role with senior responsibilities an entry-level title.  

Here are some other tips to make your job title stand out:

• Highlight any awards the company has received, especially any workplace related recognition! 🏆
• Use emojis to catch people’s eyes and stop them scrolling 👀
• Include the sector you work in E.G Marketing Manager | Mental Health 🧠
• Highlight any specifics about the role or tools used E.G Senior Developer (React)

2. Keep your structure tight

Put yourself in the mindset of the candidate. What are they looking for?

Research shows that compensation (salary and benefits) is the most important aspect to 61% of candidates, with qualification requirements and job details (both at 49%) just behind.

Here are our must-haves for your ad:

Mission

• 79% of job seekers consider a company’s mission before applying and even more important when looking to attract mission-alligned candidates

Job description

• A concise overview of the position
• What a great candidate looks like to you as the employer
• Clarity on career progression  

Salary range

• ‘Competitive salary’ is a big red flag and everyone knows it  

Benefits

• Time to shout about all the good stuff your company can offer  

3. Be concise

It’s easy to get carried away when writing a job ad. You want to communicate all the exciting aspects of the role and company as a whole – we get it.  

However, data shows that shorter job posts receive over 8% more applications per view than average. By shorter we mean up to 300 words. That means you have to keep it tight. Remember, candidates may be scrolling through hundreds of jobs per day, so it pays to keep your ad skimmable.  

Ensure every word counts by making your advert as search friendly as possible. The more SEO you do for your ad, the easier it will be for relevant candidates to find it. Think about the queries your target audience will be using when searching for jobs online and incorporate them into your ad.  

4. Use inclusive language

A study by LinkedIn has shown that after viewing a job, men apply 13% more often than women. This is often due to gender-coded language in the advert.

To ensure you encourage people from all walks of life to apply, use language that is inclusive of all genders, races and backgrounds. There are free apps or tools like Textio you can use to eliminate any gender bias in your text to make sure you attract a diverse pool of candidates.  

‍

5. Don’t forget formatting

In 2021, almost 70% of job applications were completed on mobile devices. Most candidates use their phones to at least search for jobs, so ensuring your ad looks good on mobile is key. Once you’re happy with your ad, make sure you view it on different mobile devices and browsers to double-check it’s optimised.  

We also recommend including images and video where possible to help candidates get to know you. Visually it helps to break up your ad, too. This is a great way of showing, rather than telling, people how great your company culture is.  

And last but by no means least, make your call-to-action crystal clear. Let candidates know how you want them to apply and what they should include.  

Our 3 key takeaways

Overall, the three things you need to remember when creating a great job ad are:

• Be clear  
• Be concise  
• Be authentic  

Being authentic is especially important when looking for mission-aligned candidates. Weave your company’s mission and culture through your ad via the language you use to effectively communicate your brand’s personality.  

Ready to find some mission-aligned candidates? Post a job and start building your dream team of changemakers!