For some companies, a job posting is simply a means to an end, but such companies probably also see a high turnover rate. Given how much time, money, and energy can be spent searching for the right candidate, it’s actually better to think of new hires as investments in your future that will pay dividends for a long time to come. Therefore, the key to a successful hiring strategy that fills open positions with quality candidates has everything to do with your job posting quality. 

Writing a quality job description for your job posting is only half the battle. You also need to make sure that your top-tier job posting reaches the eyes of the sorts of candidates you want to  apply and ultimately hire. Matching job fit to candidates is neither as easy nor as difficult of a task as you imagine. Read on to see how to level up your hiring strategy with your job postings that will get the right people in the right seats – and then keep them there!

The Job Posting is Everything

A job posting is your chance to sell your company to candidates, enticing them to apply and share their very particular sets of skills and experience with your team. You shouldn’t be coy with your job description, but should rather be very clear about what the position is, what duties come with it, and what kind of person would best fill the vacancy. 

Here are the top ten ways to improve your job posting to attract the right candidates. 

  1. Write it well. Right from the get-go, your job description should be as well-written as it can possibly be. So, pay attention to every little detail, keeping an eye out for errors in grammar, syntax, and spelling. Ordinary talent might overlook mistakes; top talent won’t. 
  2. Be crystal clear about duties. After reading your job description, there should be no doubt in a prospective candidate’s mind about what the job responsibilities are, what competencies are needed, and whether they’re the right fit for it. 
  3. Arm your posting with bullets. Chances are, applicants who come across your job posting have already read through many others, and don’t want to spend a lot of time reading long, descriptive sentences. Convey as much information as you can through short, succinct bullet points.
  4. Make them focus on their abilities and competencies. You want to hire someone who can deliver results, right? Ask not simply what skills a candidate has, but rather get candidates to ask themselves what they can do for you with the competencies they already possess. 
  5. Make candidates feel you’re speaking to who they are. You know what you want, so tell that to job candidates who see themselves in your description of the perfect candidate. In other words, if you want a passionate graphic designer, talk to that designer. If candidates see themselves as you say, “You’re a passionate graphic designer,” you’re on the right track.
  6. Grab their attention with design elements. A job posting serves a functional purpose, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have some style. Photos of an office, or of team members working together, or a graphic of your logo can resonate with candidates and entice them to apply. 
  7. Hook them with the right job title. You may think that a flashy job title like “HR Guru” is going to attract candidates, but the truth is that otherwise boring job titles like “HR Manager” are more searchable – and more searched for. 
  8. Engage in skillset separation. You may want to separate a position’s listed Required skills and Desired skills to make it easier for candidates to determine which of each they have – and if they have enough to warrant an application that will go the distance!
  9. Yes, mention the salary. You will attract more applicants if you list a salary range, and many will be candidates who feel the listed salary range is one they are qualified to earn. This is a way to attract top talent. 
  10. Use the right keywords to get your posting noticed. The most important keyword in your job description is the job title, which is why it is important to use more boring, though also more common, job titles (see Number 7 above). Using as many relevant job description keywords as possible.

You’ve Written Your Job Posting – Now What? 

A job posting geared toward attracting top talent candidates can be shared on free job boards to tap into the general talent pool, or on your own website to attract those already interested in your company. You can also advertise open positions via LinkedIn or Facebook posts.

Above all, remember that your ability to hire top talent depends on the quality of your job postings. Once written and sent out to the world, though, there’s more work to be done. Reveal can help with that, screening and assessing candidates so that the right people are in the right seats. 

To see how Reveal can help you save time in your hiring process, schedule a 15 minute call today!