INNERGISE!

In some ways 2016 has been a very memorable year with Brexit being on the mind of many Recruiters. During our Huddle sessions and meetings the impact of Brexit has been discussed with a tepid disposition, some worried and some enthusiastic to what a non EU Britain will mean for them.

But one thing is for certain. The Recruitment Industry has continued to rise dramatically in the last year, as summed up by the REC here, and will continue to grow into 2017. This kind of growth means there is tremendous opportunity for Recruiters to source and place a burgeoning number of candidates in a variety of new and exciting fields.

With any growing Industry thwart with a new and exciting avenues, we can sometimes forget the basics and how effective they can be. You'd be surprised how many recruiters we come across that fail on creating an effective job advert.

Advertising a job is all about candidate attraction but does the job advert speak to the candidate or just go on about how great the client is?

As recruiters we have to really sell the company as well as the job, revealing enough about the company and culture for candidates to get a feel of the company as well as attracting the right candidates with the skills needed to do the role. We often ignore the part of it being a job advert and post the job and company description without thinking creatively on how best to attract candidates through advertising.

Here are a few things to consider when writing your job advert:

Grammar and Format

There is nothing worse for a candidate or client to see, than a badly worded and incorrectly spelt advert – it not only projects the wrong image of you as a recruiter but also of the client you are representing.

Remembering it is an advert to attract candidates you need to keep their attention so make your advert as interesting and appealing as possible. This can range from breaking text up using bullet points, using a readable and consistent font and ensuring the layout is tidy.

Some job boards offer additional advert options, such as coloured backgrounds/ customisable templates etc. These can be a great way of creating a visually appealing advert but don’t go overboard; you don’t want the graphics and layout compromising the content of the advert.

Include the Essentials

Some jobs require very specific skills from candidates, it may seem obvious but make sure you clearly indicate what is a must have and what is a desirable, this will help reduce the number of unsuitable applications.

It is common for candidates to tick off a mental checklist in their head when it comes to the list of skills or criteria an advert has

With very few details on requirements of a candidate it can often leave candidates unclear if they are suitable or not for the job. It is common for candidates to tick off a mental checklist in their head when it comes to the list of skills or criteria an advert has, the more ticks they make the more likely they're going to be enthusiastically applying. So try and get as much of the job description from the employer as possible.

Remember not to spawn out a monotonous headache inducing list of endless skills, break it up into categories, or 'Must-have', 'Distinct benefit to have' and 'Will provide training for' categories.

Another essential aspect that is very important for perspective candidates will be a clear salary band, and if you're able to try and make this stand out if amongst a sea of other job adverts. You'll find some candidates will browse based on Salary only. 'Because we all want a little more in our pockets'

Benefits are equally as important as salary. Talent Acquisition and retention has become a must of employers, and the way they solve this is by offering a host of benefits and incentives associated with the role.

Think Differently

Try and think differently – who are they types of candidates you are trying to reach, where do they hangout and when are they online. Thinking like the candidates you are trying to attract rather than a recruiter can often lead you in a different direction when it comes to advertising a job. For example this job advert was written entirely in code – this clearly targets the type of candidate you are looking for, as well as testing their abilities and challenging them.

Next time you are writing a job advert, take a step back and read it as a candidate, would it attract you and get you interested?