When advertising a role you have to remember that recruitment is a two-way street, it’s not just about you finding a candidate with the skills, knowledge and experience that you need, you also need to make the role compelling so that your ideal candidate will read it and want to apply (or that someone who knows them will read the role and let them know that they’ve found the perfect role for them!).
So, while using your network and building your brand is vital in attracting great candidates, you need to capture the interest and imagination of these candidates, so that they can see themselves in the role and want to apply for it.
You also need to be clear about what you are looking for and the type of commitment that you need, so that you repel those whose skills and behaviours are not a match for your business.
In the career coaching part of our business, we always get our job seekers to list the deal breakers for their new (or first) role. Alongside remuneration, the distance of commute and flexible working, the list almost always includes organisational culture, autonomy, opportunities to build skills and develop their career as well as job security.
When you write your advert it is important that you tick as many of these elements as possible, this is what is going to get a candidate interested and researching your business before they apply. So what to cover:
Company Overview/Culture -
You need to share some information about the business and the clients that you serve. Try to let the culture of your business come through.
E.g. We are disruptors in the HR sector, established in 2014 by our founders to bring creative solutions to the challenges of starting and building an effective team by starting from the top. We work alongside CEO’s to ensure that quality leadership and management runs through their business and talent is valued and rewarded (as well as keeping legislatively compliant). Our clients love working with us because we work hard to understand their individual needs and create bespoke solutions that don’t leave them wrapped up in red tape.
Role Overview -
It’s important to have an overview of the role, what the main areas of responsibility are, why the role has been created and what they’ll get out of the role.
E.g. Are you as comfortable sitting in boardroom as on a beanbag in preschool? Interested in getting to the depths of how a business works and then challenging the status quo to achieve great instead of good?
We are looking for an experienced HR Business Partner to work alongside our clients providing strategic and operational support tailored to their needs. You may be at the end of a phone, replying to emails, visiting their business premises or supporting them on a team offsite.
Key Qualifications / Experience -
To get the right candidates applying for your role you need to be very clear about the skills that you are looking for and the behaviours that are needed to be successful in the role.
E.g. We are looking for a naturally curious HR Professional, with experience of supporting senior management teams with recruiting, talent management and employee relations, as well as strategic planning. CIPD (or equivalent) qualified. A clear and effective communicator, with experience of influencing others to see things their way.
You’ll need to be flexible in your approach and willing to work outside your core hours at times. In return, you’ll be numerated competitively, supported in your career aspirations and get to work alongside an amazingly fun and friendly team. If this sounds like the kind of role that you’d love to get your teeth into, apply here.
How do your job adverts compare to the example above?
I’ll be talking about capturing the interest of your ideal candidates live on our Facebook business page at 9 pm GMT on Thursday, to watch live or catch the replay like our page here and turn on the notifications.
If you need some support to revise your talent attraction strategy and documentation Schedule a call to discuss how we can help you.
Next week we will be looking at using the building blocks above to create an amazing Job Description and Person Specification.