3 Steps to Powerful Job Postings

Often underutilized and neglected, a powerful job posting leads to a more efficient hiring process by bringing quality candidates to you. Want to tap into the power of job postings? Follow these 3 steps.

1. Write a job posting

Don’t make the common mistake of posting your job description. Yes, there is a difference!

A job description is an exhaustive list of the responsibilities and requirements, necessary for HR purposes. The intention of a job posting is to sell your opportunity and compel candidates to apply.

What to focus on:

• Why would someone want to work here?
• How is this job different?
• What’s in it for the candidate?

By actually writing a job posting you will significantly increase your chances of having a qualified candidate come to you. 

2. Think like your ideal candidate

Remember the last time you moved? It was fun, right? Nope. But it was necessary and once you were settled, worth it. Making a job change is similar.  If the value isn’t clear and the candidate is not engaged, they will abandon the process. This is where motivation comes in. Do you know the #1 reason people change jobs?

Opportunity. 

Think like your ideal candidate and make your job posting about the opportunity. What is it about your job that is compelling, unique and worth making a change?

Consider when, where and how candidates are conducting their job search. More than half of job-seekers are conducting their search via mobile. They scan and move on if the posting is too long, disorganized or has errors. To capture the attention of your ideal candidate, use formatting like bullet points, headers and sections, clear language, and choose a title that is commonly understood.

3. Use a template

Using a job posting template will serve as a checklist and promote consistency. A template should include things like:

1. Requirements: Save an exhaustive list for the job description. Break down the requirements into the top three must-haves. Don’t bother listing generic requirements such as “hard-working”, “detail-oriented”, “team player”. Evaluate these soft skills in the interview process.    
2. Responsibilities: Use 3-5 bullet points to describe a typical day. Start with what the person will spend most of their time doing and finish with ancillary responsibilities.
3. Culture: Ditch the empty adjectives and exaggerations and communicate in a way that is specific and substantiates the claim. Have you ever used these phrases to describe a job you are hiring for?

• Amazing opportunity
• Awesome culture
• Best-in-class benefits
• Fantastic work/life balance

Job seekers want and deserve more. Tell them why, how and what's in it for them

4. Compensation: Consider transparency and discuss compensation early in the hiring process. Why? It helps weed out uninterested candidates saving everyone time.

Have a starting point ($75k+) or provide a range ($75-90k) and negotiate on experience. Having compensation transparency also makes an impact on pay equality. 

There will be instances when listing the compensation is not appropriate for your search or company.

Writing a compelling job posting starts with your intention – to attract candidates. Write a job posting that is different from the job description, think like your ideal candidate and use a template.