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Effective Job Postings Attract Top Talent


Effective Job Postings Attract Top Talent
  • DateMay 22, 2015
  • MediumNewsletter Article
Your job postings is your organizations first impression on candidates. To ensure that first impression is positive here are some insights into how to take advantage of the space you have to ensure your job postings are effective and attract qualified applicants.

              Effective Job Postings Attract Top Talent
 

Be sure your organization’s first impression on candidates is positive—this begins with your job posting. An effective job posting is clear and concise, while also being descriptive. Creating the right language for your job postings will save your organization time because you won’t need to sort thru lists of unqualified candidates. A major advantage of online job boards is the almost unlimited space with which you can sell your company and job opening. The following shares insight on how to take advantage of the space you have to ensure your posting attracts qualified applicants.


Being Descriptive is Key


AgCareers.com frequently surveys job seekers about what they look for when applying to open positions. Candidates felt that job responsibilities were the most important information to have included in a job description. When considering the actual description, duties and responsibilities were the most crucial factors when job seekers chose whether or not to submit an application.


Job seekers were most discouraged by job descriptions that were too short or not descriptive enough. Employers should keep their job descriptions detailed enough, but not so long that job seekers need to scroll down. Sell the position – how does this position impact your overall company success? How will the employee learn and grow in the position? Responsibilities should be concise and easily understood from someone outside the organization.


Location, Location


The second most crucial factor when job seekers chose to apply is location of the position, making it critical for employers to include information regarding the city, state or region for an opening. If you have multiple locations for a particular posting, you may want to separate them into multiple postings by specific cities, states or regions. Keep in mind that the web is International, so you’ll have people viewing your opening from around the world.


Job Title


Titles should be descriptive, clear and understandable to someone OUTSIDE your organization. Eliminate abbreviations and jargon specific to your company. For instance “Senior Quality Assurance Manager” will usually get a better response than “Quality IV, Mgr.”


Skills and Education Requirements


Being clear about the skills required and minimum education level needed for your job opening will save time in the long run for you and the applicant. For instance, if you require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree for a position, don’t hesitate to list this as a requirement. If your opening is more flexible, you can use language such as, “Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent work experience.”


Money


Right behind lack of description, candidates are also discouraged from applying to positions when no salary or pay information is provided. Many applicants may skip your posting entirely if no salary information is given. Try to provide at least a pay range, based on experience if necessary.


Your Organization


Include a short description of your company, including mission statement and goals. Use descriptors to showcase why someone would want to work at your organization. Tell candidates what they can expect to gain by joining your organization! Reputation means a great deal to candidates. Job seekers place high value on the company and its products; in an AgCareers.com poll, more than half of candidates stated that companies being a ‘leader in the industry’ and having ‘good products’ were the main things they looked for in employers.


Call to Action


Give clear directions for the applicant: list a closing date for receipt of applications, note if you would like the applicant to provide salary, or any other requirements. Put a sense of urgency in the posting to motivate candidates, especially if it’s a plus because of company growth or launching a product.


Finishing Touches


Formatting matters- make good use of bullets, paragraphs and bolding. These formatting touches, when used appropriately, help make your job posting easier to read. Check spelling and grammar. Can you glance at the ad and get the idea of what the position entails? Candidates absolutely form an opinion of the person responsible for posting the job and the company. A poorly developed job posting will turn top performers away.


Hopefully these tips provide you with a few new tools that you can implement to continue to increase traffic and qualified candidates to your postings. If you would like to consult on a job posting, please contact agcareers@agcareers.com.

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