If someone is looking at your Job Advertisement – there is ALWAYS a reason!!! That reason generally lies in one or more of their “needs” not being met at their current place of employment.
An employee spends more time at work that with their near and dear ones. Therefore, the ‘working relationship’ needs to be FULFILLING. If “something’s missing” – then they will treat it similar to a personal relationship and try to FIX IT! However, if their needs still aren’t being met, then they will eventually start looking elsewhere.
So what are people generally looking for within their employment to be HAPPY?
- FAIR PAY OF COURSE!!! No one expects otherwise.
- A sense of SAFETY!!! Everyone expects to be able to go home after work.
- To feel VALUED!!! No one wants to be just ‘another number’ or constantly ‘criticised’.
- OPPORTUNITIES to learn new skills, scope for career advancement and future rise in pay.
- A sense of FIT in their personal values and ethos to that of the CULTURE of the firm.
- To actually LIKE WHAT THEY DO!!!
To attract the right candidates and have them apply for your job vacancy, your Job Advertisement needs to paint a clear picture of the job, and must addresses all of the points mentioned above. When I ask my top candidates, “why did you apply for this position?” The answer always refers to one or more elements from the job advertisement that resonated positively with them.
In a nutshell, a Job advertisement is an ADVERTISEMENT!!!
Advertising is a form of marketing communication used to promote or sell something, usually a business’s product or service. (source: Wikipedia)
Your ‘Job Advertisement’ is an opportunity for you to paint a POSITIVE and ACCURATE picture of your business, the workplace and the role itself. The importance of being accurate and realistic when outlining details cannot be UNDERESTIMATED!!! You will not only cost yourself TIME & MONEY, but also lose potential CLIENTS by appointing someone under false pretences!!! By writing a Job Advertisement that is more or less a shortened (cut and paste) version of the Job Description, you’re not taking advantage of the opportunity to SELL the role. REMEMBER, a job advertisement is a tool to attract potential candidates, by communicating the function of the role, the business and essentially promote the business as an ideal workplace.
Here are some Headings you can use within your Job Advertisement:
- About the Business
- About the Role
- Your Skills and Experience or What skills and Qualities are we looking for?
- What we Provide or What’s on Offer
Don’t be afraid to put the business out there!!! If you’re a ground level IT business dealing with everyday business and people – then don’t be afraid to say we offer “IT help for HUMANS!!!”. If the role requires the candidate to be detail oriented and possess a high degree of analytical ability to the extent that they are ALMOST ANAL, then state it OUTRIGHT!!! People who refer to themselves in this way are the people you want to apply. When I work with my clients, I take the time to really listen to what they are describing about their business, the type of people within their business, what works well for them and of course what the role will actually entail!!! Only then will I work on designing a Job Advertisement that accurately reflects the role, the Brand and the people they are looking for. Thus, providing the best marketing opportunity to attract quality candidates.
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