Top 5 tips on writing winning job ads to attract top freelancers

Here are 5 top tips on writing winning job ads to attract top freelancers:

Tip #1: Write for the ideal candidate

Remember the person that is being written to and keep this in mind when creating the perfect ad. Write with the ideal candidate in mind so that the ad is engaging for them and interesting. It’s essential that the audience does not give up the idea of working after reading the ad. Whenever one puts up a job listing anywhere, it needs to be interesting and engaging in order to attract the right kind of person.

The style of writing will be of utmost importance here. Think about how the title will read and in what way this job will be advertised among the mess of search engines and job posting pages. Often having a title that is much too specific could prevent the job from appearing on job posting sites.

In a similar way, a too generic title that does not mention things like the experience of the level or the department can stop candidates from coming in. Any job description that one has should speak to the candidate first and foremost. This allows for candidates to envision themselves within a role and for candidates to consider the role from their perspective.

The job descriptions that have the most success are the ones that speak out towards the candidate that is reading. The best practice in a job advertisement is to include the word ‘you’ within the description of the job as it further increases engagement and allows candidates to best see themselves within a role. Adding this word creates a sense that one is already included within the role, which will be great from the applicant’s perspective – they’ll be sure to apply as soon as possible.

Tip#2: List the job description and skills concisely

Within the description, one should be concisely informed about what it would actually be like for them to work at the company. Paint an accurate but also a concise picture of what one can expect if they were to work here so that the applicant is reassured.

Make sure that the job description does not turn out to be some sort of list of ideal traits and esoteric things that no other candidate would have. The job description must not make the company look out of touch in any way – candidates would like to know that they could have a chance of working for the company they’re looking at and will move onto the next advert if they don’t think they can cut it.

Of course everybody wants the most experienced candidate but that doesn’t mean that one should demand unnecessary job requirement, for example, to have 20 years’ experience for an entry-level job – of course it would be more desirable than a person with no experience, but would they need that amount of experience for the role?

Tip #3: The ad’s for hiring, not looking cool

Over the years company culture has become a lot more casual as companies are moving on from traditional routes to be more progressive. Unfortunately, a lot of these companies make the mistake of trying to oversell their cool brand image rather than focusing on work in their job adverts. Remember that the intent of a job advert should be to attract others in, so think of the best way to do this. There are a lot of types of freelance work one can do and so it’s easy to hop around from job application.

Using language that is too trendy or cool can make the prospective candidate think that the company has unrealistic expectations, for example, if one was to write things such as “looking for an absolute rock star in the office”. Moreover, the language of this sort and other more colloquial languages will give the audience a false understanding that the company they’re applying for are not professional. Some of this language can also ward off certain kinds of applicants, e.g. discouraging female applicants through the heavy use of gender stereotyping.

Any job advert will want the company to seem as appealing as possible, but also as professional as possible too. Writing in too friendly and colloquial a tone can also bring in a lot of irrelevant information, for instance we’ve seen a lot of applications that mention things like “we’ve got free snacks and always keep a fridge fully stocked with red bull” – this is irrelevant, people don’t want to apply for a job to get their hands on snacks. It’s best to talk about things that matter such as what the candidate can expect or the company journey.

Tip #4: Make it easy, not tough

The application process should not be a test of endurance or aptitude, it should be made as easy as possible to apply. Don’t forget that there are a lot of job applications out there and the candidate is likely going through tons of applications at a time, so if they find an application to be too difficult, they’ll give up out of frustration.

Each application also requires a cover letter and tailoring of one’s CV, so this is already time-consuming enough – don’t make it even more so, or otherwise expect many fewer people to apply. Think about what is truly necessary, for example, does one really need to add so much information? The company running the ad will have to go through all of it too. If the application takes much too long then it will be abandoned – simple as that.  

Tip #5: Screen for attention to details

Make sure that with whatever kind of application is being created, put in a few simple tests requiring attention to detail. This could be done in many ways, for instance by asking for a simple instruction to be completed and if it fails to show up in the application then the particular application can be screened out. There is a multitude of ways to screen applicants for attention to detail, so get creative today.

Conclusion: Key things to keep in mind when writing a job ad to attract top freelancers

So now that the information about how to write the best job ad out there is clear, it should be important to include everything that’s necessary. Prospective candidates will want to think they can chase their dreams and get the best possible job for themselves, while at the same time the company will also trying to screen for the ideal candidate. Think of the candidate reading the advert and try and understand the application process from their perspective. That way, you will be able to craft a job post that will stand out.

Get writing today!