The secret to a good job ad? Grab their attention. Win them over. Then reel them in. If you don’t put thought into your vacancy text, you’re missing a massive opportunity to attract the right people. We see this all the time with clients who trust us to pen their job ads. So what makes for a great ‘join-our-team’ text? Here are five tips to get you started.
Give them an honest peek behind the scenes
What’s it really like to work at your company? Applicants want you to paint them an honest picture. Not empty words but clear and straightforward language. So be honest. Tell them that celebrating wins with a team dinner is just as important as hitting your quarterly targets. Talk about the incredible coffee beans you get from the local roastery. About the flexible hours. About your meeting style and feedback culture. The more crumbs you sprinkle into your job posting, the more likely the right Hansel or Gretel will come knocking at your door. So don’t sugarcoat anything – honesty is always the best policy.
Use words that pop
Are you a flexible team player with a hands-on attitude who’s eager to work in a dynamic team for a competitive salary? Well, who isn’t? Generic words like these could describe any job and any candidate. Try swapping out these empty phrases for something more meaningful. ‘We offer a competitive salary based on your experience, skills, and situation.’ Or: ‘You’ll work closely every day with a trio of amazing marketeers.’ Does your entire vacancy have to be a creative attempt to avoid cliché’s? Absolutely not. You don’t want it to sound forced, but ditching tired buzzwords will definitely make you stand out in a sea of similar job posts.
Stretch your creativity
In case we haven’t made ourselves clear: you want to stand out when looking for the newest addition to your work family. Use photos, videos, a creative stop-motion movie, and … text. Consider sprinkling in some witty wordplay or clever metaphors when scouting a ‘spot-on project coordinator’ for an industrial laundry service. Or put out feelers for a ‘marcom position that will stop you mid-scroll’. These may seem like minor details, but they’re sure to catch your eye in a long list of boring job titles. Don’t be afraid to go against the current.
Use industry jargon to find the right fit
When it comes to impressing clients, battering them with industry lingo won’t work. But when you’re looking for a marketeer specialising in paid advertising, your candidate better know their pixel tracking from their PPCs. To separate the wheat from the chaff, feel free to use industry-specific terms that are relevant to the role you’re hiring for. Give them a little quiz and see how they do.
Call a spade a spade
Your vacancy text should paint a good picture of the average workday at your company. Be clear and set honest expectations about what they’ll be doing. Does the job involve making lots of phone calls to clients? Say that in your ad instead of ‘responsible for client contact’. This might drive away anxious callers. Do they get to decide when and how long they break for lunch? Are extra days off part of the package? Include this in your vacancy text. Details like these could seal the deal or break it.
The more realistic you are, the better candidates will understand what their day-to-day work and responsibilities will be. And you can both avoid unpleasant surprises during the job interview. Get ready for smooth sailing!
If these tips make sense, but you’re having trouble applying them to your own job ad, ZINNIG has loads of experience crafting clever vacancy texts for clients. Get in touch.
