In today’s rapid business climate, there’s no time to waste, especially when trying to fill open positions. Writing an informative and enticing job posting is key to attracting viable candidates and quickly getting jobs filled. Read these eight tips for crafting a job posting that gets results.
1. Informative Job Title
Your job title should be simple and explanatory. It should also include keywords that seekers may be using in their search. Search engines pay the most attention to the first word in any title tag, so be sure your job title is reflective of that. For example, instead of ‘Mid-West Regional Sales Representative’, use ‘Sales Representative Mid-West Region’. Optimize your job title by search ability.
2. Clear Job Description
This seems pretty simple, right? However, many job postings do not include enough information about the job or they provide too much; either can lead job seekers astray. Make sure your job description is to-the-point and detailed. A candidate should have a solid understanding of the role they are applying to. Include things such as:
– Overview of responsibilities
– Reporting or organizational structure
– How many people the position manages (if applicable)
– Specific details of the position, such as ‘heavy traveling’, ‘many sales calls’, or ‘must attend tradeshows’
3. Keywords are, well, key.
Just as you should include searchable keywords in the job title, you should do so in the job description as well. If you are unsure of what keywords to utilize, try Google AdWords for suggestions.
Tip: Don’t just copy and paste a whole bunch of keywords that AdWords generates- this will work against you. Judiciously choose some of those keywords generated and then add your own for a good mix.
4. Qualifications
Include skill sets, education requirements, certifications, experience requirements, and other necessities pertinent to the job (such as a valid driver’s license). Also include soft-skills such as communication, leadership, attention to detail, etc.
5. Include Compensation and Benefits
Many job posters skip over this section. Mistake! If you are crafting a job posting, take a step back and think about what really matters to job seekers. Your job posting should not merely be a job description; it should be an ad that attracts top candidates.
6. Include Company Bio
Be sure to include a short section about your company. A company bio should communicate company culture and history.
7. Aesthetics
A job posting should be composed in an orderly, visually pleasing way. After all, it is an ad. Make sure your posting is organized and attractive to candidates. You may want to use headers, bullet points, links, and text formatting. Take it up a notch by uploading a logo or adding a picture/video.
8. Incorporate a Screening Tool into Your Posting
Many times job posters use large job boards such as CareerBuilder or Monster that cast a huge net and end up getting many unqualified applicants. Sorting through all those unqualified applicants is time consuming and frustrating. Build in a screening tool by clearly indicating requirements applicants must meet in order to apply.
For example:
“Interested applicants who have a minimum of 5 years industry experience, please apply by emailing resume toperson@company.com .”
Once you’ve crafted your job description, you need to get it in front of the right eyes. Use niche job boards such as AftermarketJobs.com, AutoCareCareerHub.com, or JournalismJobs.com to reach your target applicant audience.
*Written by Libby Melhus
*Courtesy of Auto Career Hub