The first interaction most candidates are likely to have with your company will be the written word of your job advertisement. And as we know, the first impression sometimes makes all the difference……

It's the scent you get when you climb into a new car for the first time. The noise you hear when your team walk out for the cup final. The first look you get when you see your partner walking down the aisle(hopefully towards you!)

It is that initial impression that makes all the difference.

The job advertisement is your attempt at a 1st, 2nd and sometimes even 3rd date. Here are a few points on how you can use it to attract the best talent; 1.  Have a title that attracts attention. A peacock does not have beautiful feathers just to keep them hidden, it shows them off, they gather attention. Your job title will help your ad appear higher in the candidates searches and it will help you stand out in the sea of other job ads. Play around with words, but don’t try and be too clever!

2. You have 9 seconds to make a first impression, well in fact with the speed of life now, you probably only have 4 seconds! The first few lines in the body of the ad should be quick and straight to the point. Challenge the candidate to want to spent more time to read the rest of the ad. ‘EFG Corp have a role available…..’ This is both pointless and a waste of a candidates fading attention span.

3.      Now you have the attention of the reader(fingers crossed), you want to provide a brief Who, What, Why on your company. Keep this short and sweet…..I am sure we have all been on one of those dates where the other date just loves to talk about themselves?!? Not cool.

4.      Explain what the company does and the reason why the role has become available, this may be due to expansion or relocation etc. Try and keep the lines spaced out and the sentences not too long.

5.      Now you have a chance to go all in on the poker table and show your hand. What does you company have that is going to ensure that Steve signs for you? Let’s face it, most of us want to look after ourselves and we have an agenda on what we are looking for in a change of career.  

Bullet point what you feel will help set your company apart. For this part of the advertisement, bear in mind the profile you are looking for. Would they be searching for Career progression, Flexible learning, On-going qualifications, leadership opportunities etc.

6.      Then all you got to do is close it off. So simple but often forgotten. Let the candidate know what they need to do to apply and what the next stages of the interview look like. East as that.

So that is how to structure the ad, here are a few bonus tips to consider when re-reading your ad; ·      Does it follow a structure and is it easy to follow? ·      Have you made it about the candidate? They are the ones who will be the most nervous during this process, make them feel at ease. ·      Will your Ad stand out? Give the Ad to a family or friend to read and ask if they would apply.

Let me know how you go.