So, here we are. Recruiting within the biggest talent shortage in history...

Among other key elements of your recruitment process, including interview etiquette, employer branding and onboarding. The job ad is perhaps the most important part of the process to nail, yet perhaps the most overlooked.

This one piece of content is the first point of contact for prospective employees and sets the stage for if they will hit apply and engage with your company or scroll on.

There are many ways to write a job ad but for the sake of simplicity let’s stick to the fundamentals to set you up for success. In this introductory article, we will cover job title, tone of voice and the highly important WIIFM (what’s in it for me), which is ultimately what all candidates are scanning for.

Job Title 

The title should clearly reflect the role and ideally attract the right type of skill set.

Consider the algorithms in popular job boards like LinkedIn and Seek and what common terms are used within your specific industry. There are three key pieces of information that candidates will need to tick off before reading on. Job title, location, and salary.

If your job title is generic and can apply to multiple industries eg Account Manager. Try adding in the specific industry to help candidates along and ensure you are attracting the right sector experience. Example Account Manager | Technology| Sydney | $80,000 + bonuses OR if you have a niche title, which can’t cross-sector try putting other benefits into the title to catch more attention. Example Junior Java Developer | 4 day work week | Dog-Friendly Office 

It’s a test and try approach , using different combinations to see what’s gains right the most traction, and don’t forget to tag the relevant skills and sectors in the back end of the job boards.

Tone of voice 

The tone of voice and content should reflect the company culture, personality, and values of the business. If the business is down to earth, funny and not corporate, this should be portrayed in the way the job ad is written. If you or your company culture is funny or quirky, then this is your chance to let that shine! 

Candidates want to see the personality of an organisation and your job ad is often their first impression. Using humour in your job ad is humanistic and shows you are friendly and approachable. This goes a long way to engaging great candidates while also making your job ad more interesting and creates a light-hearted and fun tone.

Remaining professional yet fun and relatable is a great way to attract the right type of talent to your business . However, if the business is more corporate and professional, that’s ok too! Just make sure you are allowing the candidate to absorb the full spectrum of benefits throughout the job ad. This leads us to the most important part of the job ad.

WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) 

The first paragraph of your job ad should succinctly explain what the business does, what they stand for and what they are working towards. Then there should be 6-10 points highlighting the key skills required to be successful in gaining an interview, the rest – all about what’s in it for the candidate. 

This shouldn’t be a sales pitch, but an overview of why the candidate should be excited to join the business. The USP’s of the company, the incentives available to staff and the company culture where they will contribute and ultimately spend 40 hours per week working within. 

Here is where you want to highlight the reasons, they should choose your company over any other. The WIIFM should be unique, authentic and showcase a day in the life of this business. What is a candidate looking for? Here are a few things: 

• Career progression 
• Learning and development 
• Bonus schemes and incentive programs 
• Social company culture and team support 
• Flexibility and autonomy 
• Mental health and fitness programs 
• Mentorship and career guidance 
• Extracurricular education 
• Great clients or projects to work on
• 
  

The above are suggestions, tailor and personalise your WIIFM as much as possible to the specific role, as you want to stand out and appeal to the type of person you are looking to hire. You want them to remember as much about the role as possible, this is the sell. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, bold text, and statistics where appropriate. 

When searching for a job, candidates already know the industry and necessary skillset of their desired role, so it's unnecessary to use vague, fluffy language or jargon in your ad. Keep to the key details and focus on WIIFM. Be real and authentic to the audience you are trying to engage, don’t bore them with the basics of the job. We all need a good attention to detail and can-do attitude, no need to mention it in your job ad.

You do, however, want to give them an idea of what kind of day to day they can expect in the position. Are they going to be thrown into lots of different projects and work at a fast pace or is the environment less time sensitive and therefore they will have more space to work through challenges methodically? This is important stuff and will ensure you candidate feels educated about the expectations of the role.

Keep it personal, you don't like it when people call you a "customer." So why would a job hunter like being called a "candidate."?  It’s cold, unfriendly and makes them feel like a commodity, not a prospective team member.

Use language that speaks directly to the talent you want to attract. Here's an example:

You're going to love this job if…

• You have a genuine interest in websites and user journeys
• You love technology and are fascinated by how the software works
• You're naturally inquisitive and get a kick out of solving complex problems.

Don’t forget video!

Including a video in a job ad can increase application rates by 34%. Adding footage of the company culture or shots of the office (if you can) will help candidates peak behind the curtain and connect with the organisation on a personal level.

It’s also a great chance to connect with who they may be interviewing with.

In summary, putting a little more love and personality into your job ads mean faster hiring, better talent and increased brand awareness of the company. Think of it as an advertising campaign for the job. If you can shine a light on the benefits of the role and use emotive, relatable language you will be in a much better position to attract the right talent for your roles.

Happy recruiting! 

Random Group  xx