One of the major challenges when recruiting staff is to bring in enough good candidates. The job seeker may read several advertisements a day and only have a short time to get an idea of you as an employer. Then you need to stand out from the crowd by writing an interesting job advertisement that the candidate finds fun to read.
Writing job ads takes time
A really good job advertisement is not so long that the candidate gets tired and neglects to read the whole thing, but it must still contain all the essential parts. Therefore, it may take some time to write a good job advertisement. If you haven't already done so, it's a good idea to start with a needs analysis to highlight what qualities you're looking for. Ask those who will be the new candidate's future colleagues about what they consider important qualities and think about how much - if any - previous experience is required. Based on the needs analysis, you create a requirements profile that contains the most important parts. Separate the wants into two parts, what things are absolutely necessary to have to even apply for the job? Which features are more like a wish list from your end? Is it really that important to have several years of experience in the same job or is it more important to find a candidate who fits in the organization and is hungry to learn more? Remember that many candidates are looking for a position where they can be challenged or climb their career.
What should a good job advertisement contain? - Checklist
The job advertisement must not be too long, but you must include certain things in order for the candidate to find the company interesting: Please have a checklist at hand when writing your job advertisement:- Clarify the professional role, preferably with a concrete bulleted list of which tasks will be included in the position.
- Describe what the candidate gets out of employment with you - the best candidates are picky.
- Describe the company culture - preferably with a filmed job advertisement (click on the link to see examples of how it can look), it is said that a picture says more than 1000 words, how much does a film say? It is easier to convey a feeling with moving material.
- Be clear about when and how you can apply for the position, clarify the application period.
- Write which prior knowledge and qualities are required for the position and which are meritorious.
Tips for writing a fun job ad
If your goal is to stand out from the crowd, it can easily get out of hand. Some things should not be overlooked. For example, it has easily happened that you want to be different and write a funny headline like "Come and be part of our lovely family" or "Do you want to climb the career ladder?". It might sound good from your perspective but it doesn't tell the candidate anything at all. When a good candidate is looking for a job, they are looking for a specific job role or industry, that must be in the headline, otherwise they won't find your ad. A simple way to make the job ad different and stand out is to make a filmed job ad.
Publish your job ad
Depending on the industry in which you are looking to hire staff, you can publish your job ad on different platforms. You can publish the job advertisement in several places, for example: Indeed, Linkedin, Facebook, TikTok and Arbetsförmedlingen
At this stage, it is especially important to think about where the target group for the specific service is located and whether they are active or passive applicants. By advertising on various social media, there is a greater chance of reaching passive candidates. Advertising through traditional job platforms is also something that is great, but it is important to check whether you are only paying for an ad slot or paying for quality clicks.
Remember that advertising is also marketing
Many who read your ad will not apply for the job or get an interview. It is important to remember that your job ads are also marketing for your company. This is what is called "employer branding" or "arbetsgivarmarknadsföring" in Swedish. How you express yourself in the job advertisement can affect not only the candidates but also those who are your customers. And the trend points towards it becoming more and more important for the consumer as well that the companies they frequent are decent and fair.
Author: Malin Cartagena Lindell
Reviewer: Moa Jacobsson
