Getting it just right with your job posting
Anyone who does recruitment will understand the frustration of going through hundreds of applicants and find that not many have the qualifications required for the job.
"Then why do they apply?" you ask yourself after every session.
Is there such a thing as a perfect recruitment ad that will only attract the right people?
With all the pre-planning we do to ensure a smooth recruitment process it is still common to find that 9 out of 10 applicants do not have much in common with what you have advertised.
This does not only waste time but also increases the chances of appointing the wrong person for the job.
Who is to blame for poor job posting responses?
These days competition is tough out there and you can't blame people for trying anything to find work.
When you are desperate to find work any job posting will have something that you can relate to and the rest are overlooked.
The blame must be placed squarely on the recruiter and management as there are only two reasons why you are receiving low-quality applications. Poor planning and bad strategy.
I am not saying the applicants are low-quality workers but rather that the quality of the relationship between what you advertised and what you are finding in response is low.
Job posting failures explained
There are only three reasons for a job posting to fail in this sense and that is because:
- The job description and requirements were not clear enough and the reader had to make a decision if it fits them or not based on what they see.
- The medium used for advertising was wrong. You don't look for a CEO in your local free classifieds and you don't place an ad in the Fortune 500 magazine to find an office cleaner unless you are looking for "not the ordinary".
- Timing is important.
In many cases, there are certain periods in the year that make it easier for someone to move jobs.
For example, placing a job posting in the latter part of the year will not attract many applicants because of Christmas bonuses, possible salary increases in February, or expenses around the corner with kids going back to school in the New Year.
That only leaves people not employed and will apply for anything in the hope of having a better year next year.
These are all normal reactions to the recruitment process but by focusing on the information included with your job posting you can reduce the number of "zero outcomes" recruits dramatically.
Remember these 4 reasons for failure and make sure you avoid them as far as possible.
In order to have your job posting work for you, there is a need to write brilliant job ads to attract the right recruits.
There are many "How to write a job advertisement" samples on the web and you can experiment with them until you find what works best for you. if all else fails get a good copywriter that can do the job.
Incorporate the following 3 principles in all your job ads and you will immediately see a difference not only in the quality of applicants but also in your retention rate and labor turnover.
Make sure you are direct and honest through how you portray the job.
You expect the applicant to be honest so display them the courtesy by providing as much information as possibly good or bad in your job posting.
Let them know through the wording if it is going to be a hard tough job with high expectations and what the reward will be if they accept.
There are four important things job hunters will always look for and providing the information will cut out many applicants.
For example, placing a job posting in the latter part of the year will not attract many applicants because of Christmas bonuses, possible salary increases in February, or expenses around the corner with kids going back to school in the New Year.
That only leaves people not employed and will apply for anything in the hope of having a better year next year.
These are all normal reactions to the recruitment process but by focusing on the information included with your job posting you can reduce the number of "zero outcomes" recruits dramatically.
Remember these 4 reasons for failure and make sure you avoid them as far as possible.
How to achieve more success with your job posting
In order to have your job posting work for you, there is a need to write brilliant job ads to attract the right recruits.
There are many "How to write a job advertisement" samples on the web and you can experiment with them until you find what works best for you. if all else fails get a good copywriter that can do the job.
Incorporate the following 3 principles in all your job ads and you will immediately see a difference not only in the quality of applicants but also in your retention rate and labor turnover.
Honest job posting information you must use
Make sure you are direct and honest through how you portray the job.
You expect the applicant to be honest so display them the courtesy by providing as much information as possibly good or bad in your job posting.
Let them know through the wording if it is going to be a hard tough job with high expectations and what the reward will be if they accept.
There are four important things job hunters will always look for and providing the information will cut out many applicants.
These four necessities are
- Location
- Environment
- Time
- Money
Location is important for most applicants as they want to make sure they can get from home to work without effort.
Location is also important to the applicant for the calculation of traveling affordability.
Sometimes over here in South Africa, it is cheaper to stay home than to travel to work daily.
When applicants see the location and it's not suitable they will avoid applying.
Most applicants will apply for the job in order to scope out the working environment.
Being upfront and giving details that are not sensitive can be difficult but don't tell them that you are a stable growing company when you are not.
Rather say that it is a challenging environment that will require long-term commitment to encourage company growth.
Someone who does not like to be challenged will not apply and you have reduced your applicants even further.
For some applicants, time is more important than money and it is important to let them know how much time will be spent at work.
Working hours including the start and end of shift times are important as people have other responsibilities than work.
Does the job require extended hours and how do they get compensated?
There is nothing worse than applying for an 8 to 5 job than when you start you find it is 7 - 7 with no compensation, Saturday and Sunday work, etc. Be honest.
Nobody works for free and not being upfront on a salary level will create an expectation that there is no limit.
This will encourage money hunters to apply and waste their time negotiating for something you cannot afford.
Save time and say outright how much can they earn if selected.
Just aiming for industry standards and according to experience are weak indicators used when the salary is not good or it is non-negotiable so avoid them.
Be as close to specific as you can and you will get the final bunch of applicants who will be more aware of what they are applying for.
We all know the tale of the applicant that turned up for an interview and after introducing himself he informs the interviewer "I just came here to tell you I don't want the job because I don't have anything that you are asking for."
This can be avoided by giving good and honest information regarding the position advertised.
Recruitment is a two-way communication process and too many employers avoid the issues that might turn away potential employees. The perfect recruitment ad does not exist but you can make sure you get close to it.
Location is also important to the applicant for the calculation of traveling affordability.
Sometimes over here in South Africa, it is cheaper to stay home than to travel to work daily.
When applicants see the location and it's not suitable they will avoid applying.
Most applicants will apply for the job in order to scope out the working environment.
Being upfront and giving details that are not sensitive can be difficult but don't tell them that you are a stable growing company when you are not.
Rather say that it is a challenging environment that will require long-term commitment to encourage company growth.
Someone who does not like to be challenged will not apply and you have reduced your applicants even further.
For some applicants, time is more important than money and it is important to let them know how much time will be spent at work.
Working hours including the start and end of shift times are important as people have other responsibilities than work.
Does the job require extended hours and how do they get compensated?
There is nothing worse than applying for an 8 to 5 job than when you start you find it is 7 - 7 with no compensation, Saturday and Sunday work, etc. Be honest.
Nobody works for free and not being upfront on a salary level will create an expectation that there is no limit.
This will encourage money hunters to apply and waste their time negotiating for something you cannot afford.
Save time and say outright how much can they earn if selected.
Just aiming for industry standards and according to experience are weak indicators used when the salary is not good or it is non-negotiable so avoid them.
Be as close to specific as you can and you will get the final bunch of applicants who will be more aware of what they are applying for.
Job Posting - Summary
We all know the tale of the applicant that turned up for an interview and after introducing himself he informs the interviewer "I just came here to tell you I don't want the job because I don't have anything that you are asking for."
This can be avoided by giving good and honest information regarding the position advertised.
Recruitment is a two-way communication process and too many employers avoid the issues that might turn away potential employees. The perfect recruitment ad does not exist but you can make sure you get close to it.
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