MightyRecruiterWhether you work in human resources or are an entrepreneur, chances are good that you need to spread the word about job openings at some point. To pen effective online job postings, avoid the six mistakes outlined below. If all goes well, your job applicants should be, for the most part, qualified and motivated, and understand the position.
1. Making the Application Process Too Easy (Or Too Hard)
This aspect to writing effective online job postings can be tricky. You don’t want to create busywork for the sake of appearing important, but you don’t want the application process to be so easy that you are inundated with applications from unqualified folks. Nor do you want to make the application process so difficult that practically no one applies. The trick is to request a productive assignment that should take job candidates no more than 20 to 30 minutes. One example for a web design firm would be for the posting to provide a link to a site that needs work, and ask for five ways a job applicant would fix it. For an insurance sales position, a job posting could ask candidates to explain about their most successful sale. In all cases, you should emphasize that you want candidates to take no more than 30 minutes (or however long) on the assignment.
2. Being Vague
You want someone to handle marketing, but you’re not sure what the job would entail. What could go wrong with posting a few sentences along the lines of, ïSmall app development company on West Coast needs someone to handle marketing. Please submit a resume and cover letter.ï Yeah, a lot could, and would, go wrong. Get a job description rundown from the folks currently in the position, or if not applicable, look at job postings from competitors or similar companies. In your effective online job postings, include specifics such as educational requirements, credentials or certifications needed and a list of primary job duties. Include where the job will be (city and state, and possibly even where in the city), salary range and job title. Definitely include and label potential dealbreakers such as travel away from home every other weekend.
3. Being Too Specific
At the same time, you do not want to be too specific. You risk appearing unrealistic, and by causing no one to want to apply, you miss out on some great candidates. In general, favor soft skills such as people skills and enthusiasm over hard skills. Hard skills can be taught, while soft skills are more difficult to teach. Jargon is another way that some job descriptions are too specific; don’t make it hard for people to even tell if they are qualified. Ask several people unconnected to the job if they can understand the description.
4. Be Firm
It does appear that no matter how on target you are in effective online job postings, you still get applications that seem to have been submitted for the heck of it. Decrease these numbers by including a statement in the job posting along the lines of, ïSuccessful applicants will have read this job posting carefully. Because we need our hires to hit the ground running and as soon as possible, we will discard applications from people who do not meet the outlined requirements.ï
5. Include Selling Points and a Call to Action
What is in it for job applicants? Touch on the selling points of the job. What are the advantages of the position and of the company? What are unique features? Ask yourself, ïWhat will the person who has this job love about it?ï and ïWhy do employees love to work at this business?ï Briefly tell the story of your company: when and why it was started, its philosophy and culture, its size and what it does. Close the posting with a call to action; for example, something like, ïClick on this link to open the application.ï
6. Inject Personality
Unfortunately, many job postings begin to blend into one another. How many times can a job seeker read phrases such as ïenergetic and knowledgeable candidateï and ïexcellent communication skills requiredï before zoning out? Inject personality into your job posting. Some effective online job postings are actually graphics, for example. An infographic, or even a list with a handwriting-type font, grabs lots of attention. You can also show personality by going cute; for example, by requiring that applicants be awesome, and not hate cats. As you no doubt know, the process of hiring people is not always straightforward. When you work on making all-star hires, take advantage of the tools here at Mighty Recruiter.