Want to know exactly how to write a job advert that attracts perfect candidates who have all the skills and traits required for the role?

In our latest blog, we're breaking down essential job advert writing tips we've developed over three decades in recruitment to help you hire your dream candidate.

Dos and don'ts of a good job advert

Let's kick off with some basic dos and don'ts.

DON'T copy-and-paste your job description

The biggest mistake people make when writing a job ad is to copy and paste the job description into a job advert field on the job board they’re using.

There's a lot of things wrong with this.

For starters:

Usually it’s too long, so it loses people’s attention
There's too much unnecessary detail which wastes valuable space
It tends to be based on the facts of the job, with little consideration for actually selling the opportunity.

Of course, your job advert needs to touch on responsibilities and expectations, but a paragraph that outlines this is enough, as it's only one element of the job listing.

To write an effective job advert that appeals to the right people, you need to include much more persuasive language than you've likely used in your standard job description - as well as other essential information.

DO put yourself in the position of your dream candidate

You probably know by now we're big on candidate experience.

Before you even start to write a great job ad, you need to consider the person applying for the role.

What’s going to attract them to actually apply for a job at your company?

What would be advantageous for them to know about your organisation, the role, and the type of person the role requires?

Considering the best way to attract the right candidate before you start writing is ultimately saving you time in the long run, as it tunes you in to the mindset of your dream candidate and allows you to frame the ad from their perspective.

DON'T make your job ad too short

The second biggest mistake we see is making your job advert a little too short and sweet.

You might think it will make it easier for candidates if you keep it brief, but they need to know a little about your organisation and understand the role they're applying for.

We genuinely do see job adverts that are four or five lines long, or a couple of bullet points of practical details like salary and hours.

This is not enough to attract the best people to apply, so make sure your advert outlines your business and gives the details your candidate will need about the role and the person you're looking for.

DO include the salary

Our advice is to always, always, always put a salary in your job advertisement!

Did you know 80% of job seekers won’t apply for jobs without a salary listed?

In fact, 77% of people surveyed believed companies that don’t post salary information on job ads couldn’t be trusted - so leaving this detail out could permanently damage your employer brand.

If you’re worried including a salary bracket for your vacancy could upset people in your organisation and cause problems internally within the team, then you can use a recruitment agency to advertise the role anonymously for you.

But if you spend all the time writing the ad, pay to advertise it on job boards and you don’t put the salary on, you’re going to be missing out on a lot of fantastic potential candidates entering your recruitment process.

DON’T list generic benefits

Benefits are an important part of the job advert when it comes to attracting great candidates. So how do you make sure you get it right?

Often, we see an official list that doesn't really set an organisation apart.

You'd be surprised how many businesses list standard holidays as benefits, when this is a legal requirement, for example.

Candidates will want to gain a better understanding of your company culture, and benefits that your company offers are a good way to demonstrate this.

Take this opportunity to think outside the box and try to create something that’s a little bit different.

Here's an example.

We invest a lot in training, so we calculated exactly how much we spend per person every year. It amounted to over £1000, so we listed it as a benefit of working with at Cummins Mellor. We want to attract people who value personal and professional development, so this helps us attract people whose outlook aligns with ours.

It's might not be the most obvious benefit - like a free gym membership - but it's something that can be quantified, makes us stand out and emphasises our values as an organisation.

What might that look like for you?

DO optimise your job post for search engines

Your job advert can look great but fail to attract candidates. This is where search engine optimisation comes into your hiring process.

Don't forget, a candidate's job search often begins by typing certain words or phrases into Google - these are known as keywords.

So, it's really important you make sure you're aware of what these keywords are, then you can drop them into the job ad so it shows up on search engine results pages.

DON’T use an obscure job title (without context)

If you have an unusual job title, you might want to consider not using it in the advert itself.

For example, we've seen job adverts where the Office Manager would be called something like 'Happiness Coordinator'.

By all means, be creative with your job title, but nobody is typing ‘happiness coordinator jobs’ into Google when looking for a job, so you need to to help the candidate actually find your listing.

If you do decide to include the job title, you'll need to make sure the keywords for the type of job - as well as words relating to the relevant skills or experience you need - are littered through the job advert so it appears in the search results.

General tips for a well-written job advert

Learn how to write a great job advert by sticking to these tips.

Consistency - make it consistent with other job ads created by your company
Formatting - use paragraphs and bullet points to make it visually appealing and easy to scan
Research - look at similar job ads and talk to people in your organisation about what they like about the company/department/job to get a feel for how to talk about the business and the role
Clarity - avoid jargon and ensure it follows your brand voice and personality.

How to structure your job advert to attract top candidates

Ready to see job applications pour in from ideal candidates?

This is the online job advert format we swear by for attracting the perfect new hire.

Overview of the company - outline your mission, vision, and purpose to capture people's attention. 86% of people want to support or work for a purpose-led organisation, so show your dream applicant what you're all about.
Details about the job itself - an effective job ad differentiates between the role itself and the type of person suited to it, so ensure candidates can see some general responsibilities of the role.
Ideal candidate description - describe the person that could do the job. What sort of background might they have? Which qualifications might they need? What sort of personality traits or soft skills would best suit the role?
Benefits - what are the perks of working for your company? Make sure they line up with what people actually want, rather than making assumptions.
Next steps - how do they apply?

Job advert template

To make things easier, we’ve created a free job advert template you can use to advertise your next vacancy.

Get help writing the perfect job advert

If you've had a job advert listed for a while and it's not attracting candidates who are right for the role or organisation, we're here to help you change that.

In fact, writing a great job advert is a key part of ALL of our recruitment services.

In Recruitment Lite, we write your job advert for you then you list it on multiple job pages and manage only relevant applications in one simple online portal. This is our most cost-effective recruitment service!

With Recruitment Core, we take all the heavy lifting out of filling specific roles in your organisation using our high-level attraction and sourcing strategies.

If you hire often or you’re growing rapidly, you may need a more tailored solution for your recruitment, and that’s where our Recruitment Plus service comes in. However that looks for you, you’re sure to have a market-leading recruitment strategy and an amazing candidate experience with our bespoke support.

Contact our Managing Director, Katie Mellor, to arrange a free consultation call to decide which is the best solution for your hiring needs.

How To Write A Job Advert That Attracts Top Talent (Includes FREE Job Advert Template)