Attracting top-quality candidates from your job ads can be a challenge at the best of times, and with the candidate shortages we have experienced in the last few years, it’s all the more difficult. Couple this with the influx of new roles being posted on job boards and social media, it is crucial that your job ads are designed to convert. 

We have put together a short list of common mistakes most recruiters make when writing their job ads – and our top tips on overcoming them.

1. No salary information

Whilst it can be tricky to put a specific figure on what your client is looking for, having salary information on your job ads is crucial for several reasons.

Qualifying out candidates – By placing a salary range on your ads you can take the first step in qualifying out irrelevant candidates before the applications come in. Salary information is a good first impression of the experience or ability required in the role and will ensure that applicants will be less likely to pull out of the process due to salary, improving the quality of your applications.

Google for jobs – Nearly all job searches begin on Google and most candidates will find themselves on the Google Jobs page at some point in their job hunt, therefore it is crucial that you maximise your presence on the platform. Google for jobs will automatically pull your advert into its platform but in the process, it will look for information around location, salary, and keywords - favouring ads with salary expectations included.

Just think, would you apply for a role without knowing how much you will earn?

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2. Too long and demanding

When a client is looking for a list of skills and experience as long as their arm, it can make life really difficult for recruiters - these candidates very rarely exist. It is much the same for candidates browsing through your ads - if they see a number of skills that they don’t possess or experience that they haven’t yet gained they are less likely to apply.

A good way to solve this is to structure your adverts like we advise below and increase the conversion of your ads by not discouraging candidates with a mile-long list of demands - all while ensuring that it is specific enough to deter irrelevant applications.

3 or 4 Essential Skills - This may relate to a tool or software required in the role, a minimum level of expertise, or specific experience in your field.

1 or 2 Desirable Skills – These can be broader and relate to experience or interest in a certain industry.

3. Spelling and grammatical errors

Your job ad is often your first point of contact with a candidate and as such can act as a bit of a shop window – meaning, first impressions are important. Therefore, your spelling and grammar must be 100% accurate.

Nothing shows a candidate that you are sloppy about your work more than misspelling simple words, and this can have a knock-on effect on your credibility as an expert. After all, how much can you know about the industry if can’t even spell the niche-specific jargon? What’s worse, a misspelling on your Job Title or Tagging could impact your Google for jobs presence and where you appear on job boards, meaning fewer views and potentially fewer applications.

This can be easily avoided with a thorough read-through before posting and using a grammar and spell check tool – you can even take this one step further and get a colleague to give it a once over to be extra sure.

4. Lack of benefits for the candidate!

When approaching a prospect, you are prepared to sell all of the benefits and skills at your disposal to get that new role on your desk, and candidates deserve the same treatment. In today’s market, where candidates may have the luxury of choosing between several open vacancies and working with a long list of recruiters, you need to set yourself and your roles apart.

A job ad should focus as much on the duties and responsibilities of the role as it should on the benefits and key selling points of the position and the company. Perhaps the role is with a company that allows great flexibility (such as working from home or shorter weeks), or maybe it is with an organisation that has an extensive benefits package. Don’t make the mistake of squeezing these points into a few lines at the bottom of your advert!

Emphasizing culture throughout your adverts is also crucial with 47% of candidates saying they’d rather have a friendly workplace than a 3% pay rise!

This shows how crucial culture, appreciation, flexibility, and ability to develop within the company have become to candidates. If you don’t mention what they’re getting out of it, they won’t apply!