Make attracting the right people easier

If your job advert is long, boring, contains a list of demands and responsibilities, talks about “we”, “us” and “our” and has overused clichés - attracting both active and passive candidates is probably more difficult than it needs to be.

Keep the job advert short

Up to 300 words is the MAXIMUM.

Make it interesting

Make it human. Be more conversational. Describe the problems. Paint a picture. Dare to be different and show personality - even if only one sentence. Remember you are writing an advert, not a description.

Keep the responsibilities simple

Most candidates understand the responsibilities in a job unless you are recruiting for a very entry-level position. Responsibilities can be discussed once there is mutual interest.

Replace words like ‘we’ and ‘our’, with ‘you’ and ‘your’

Write the advert from the candidates perspective rather than your own. This will make your advert more engaging.

Ditch the cliches

I am sure you have seen your fair share of: “we are looking for a passionate team player” with “excellent communication skills” to work in “a varied and fast paced environment”. These phrases switch candidates off; they are habituated to them. Write something that will stand out to a candidate open to possibility of something better or different.

Candidate focused ads are 3 times more likely to find you high quality candidates than employer focused adverts. (Source: Universities of Saskatchewan, Calgary and Vermont, 2014)