by Derek Ross
The old adage “You only have one chance to make a first impression” also applies to the hiring process. In this case, the company wants to make a good first impression with qualified candidates who are seeking their next great opportunity. That impression will be made through your job posting. The job posting is the first thing job seekers will see when starting their search. You need to grab their attention immediately to ensure they read further.
Let’s look at a few great tips to help you create an attractive job posting.
1. Have a creative title.
For example, instead of a boring title like “Customer Service Representative”, create a more descriptive title such as “Entry Level Customer Service Representative with High Growth Potential”. This could have the reader intrigued enough to read further. With that said, you should still keep the title familiar and well known to optimize the viewership. Make sure you include a title that is common to your industry so that your candidate will find the position in a keyword search.
2. Sell your company.
A great job posting will always have a company’s description, unless the posting is highly confidential. A good company description should include such information as the industry or service provided, size of company, location(s), and any special characteristics of the company. And remember…this is a sales ad. Take the opportunity to sell your company, along with the position for which you are hiring, by highlighting the major selling points of the company. Maybe your company has great benefits, time off structure, virtual working environment, great pay, etc. Showcase those selling points here.
3. Have a detailed job description and essential duties.
• First, give a brief summary of the position details. This should only be a few sentences about the major job duties and will give an overview of the responsibilities.
• Next, have about 5-10 bullet points that describe the essential duties of the position. Be specific with respect to skills, experience, education, and any license or certifications required of the position.
4. Use keywords for search engine optimization.
Keywords should be added into your posting. For example, if you are searching for a Safety professional, use keywords such as ES&H, EHS, environmental, health, OSHA, MSHA, SafeLand, etc. Using keywords will bring your job posting near the top of the list when candidates use keywords to search for their next opportunity.
5. Create an easy way to apply.
Let the applicants know how to apply for the position. Having multiple ways to apply for the position can be confusing to the candidate. Most companies have moved to an electronic response method such as an email address to send resumes. Another effective practice is to direct the applicants to a customized applicant page on your company site.
6. Review the entire ad prior to posting.
Remember, the job posting is a reflection of the company. Before you post, review for spelling or grammatical errors as well as make certain that it is clearly written and professional.
Best of luck with your postings and here’s to a successful 2016!
If you are still having troubles with those hard to fill positions, remember, ECRM can help in the placing of top talent in many specialties. Give us a call at 877-864-3311 or send us an email at HRhelpline@eastcoastrm.com.
For more ideas to help you find your best candidates, see Derek’s previous posting “How to hire the right person for the job in 2016 and beyond!”
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