A good job advert as a way of corporate brand building
Are you offering a unique opportunity, exceptional benefits, a job opening that is simply unbeatable... And yet, your ad attracts few quality candidates? Even job ads need to be treated by a company like any other marketing activity. As elsewhere, there is no place for clichés and complex texts in HR marketing.
The objective pursued by any HR officer in the creation of an advertisement is essentially the same as that when creating any other company offer – to attract attention, kindle interest, fuel desire and encourage readers to take action. In our case we want to persuade the right candidate to respond to the job advert.
As with normal communications, on a job board you only have a few seconds to grab the reader’s attention. Pertinent graphics, the font, layout, choice of words and even the headline specifying the position – all play an important role in the candidate’s decision-making.
Which of these ad titles focuses your attention most?
Marketing Fanatic
or
Marketing Specialist
The first grabs the attention of job-seekers and makes them curious to read more. It also sets you apart from the competition. The second title neither offends nor inspires. It gets lost among a sea of similar ads.
What is more, job-seekers are not necessarily looking for a specific position, but are more interested in the value that a particular job can provide them with. Try to promote the pluses of working for your company. These need not always be benefits with some material value; attract candidates’ attention subliminally, perhaps with the graphic design. The mere publication of a text ad will not guarantee the success of recruitment, which often needs the support of other marketing tools.
How to write the perfect advertisement?
Start by analysing your existing advertising. Rome was not built in a day – ask HR marketing professionals for help. A job offer is often the first contact that candidates have with your company, so don’t underestimate the room for communication on job boards – this is also a significant opportunity for corporate brand building. Spend plenty of time on the production of your advert; be careful and try to be reasonably creative.