An effective job ad will often do at least three things:  1) Create interest in the job itself from potential job applicants, 2) Prequalify candidates so those that do not have the right background don’t apply and bog down the process, and 3) Share the job details and responsibilities.  However, many ads that we see are heavy on the prequalifying and job responsibilities, and very light on creating interest.  The problem is that this strategy doesn’t work for many types of “audiences” you want to influence!  Let’s break down the different types of people who have a stake in your job posting, and importantly, how they will react to different types of job ads.

The Active, Unemployed Job Seeker

This is someone who currently is not employed and looking for a job, which means they are actively sifting through job postings, have their resume polished (hopefully), and are applying for all positions that seem to somewhat fit their needs.  It’s important to stress the word “needs”, as they are in a position where they need to find something quick since they are currently without a job and need to pay the bills!

With this type of job seeker, are they going to be very discerning about the job postings they see?  Of course not.  As long as your job fits the most basic criteria, such as location, job type, and general elements, they are good to go.  Most job postings we see are really geared towards this person, and you’ll see why in just a moment.

The Active, Employed Job Seeker

This is someone who wants a change but currently has a job.  This means they have a lot less external forces driving them to apply to any particular job.  They will much more casually scan through jobs that fit their goals, and not bother applying if none of the jobs seem to inspire them.  Granted, even within this category you have people who might be looking for a new job to advance their career versus looking for a new job because they hate their boss, so there is still a wide range of motivation factors to push them to apply for your job.  But in general, this category of job seeker is not in nearly as much of a hurry in comparison.

This is the point where the “inspiring” aspect of your job posting suddenly gets a lot more important.  You went from having the job seeker desperate to apply and get the job, to someone who may or not be interested.  Many employers don’t realize this is the point where a job posting becomes a true “advertisement”.  The target audience needs to be inspired and shown that it is a great company, great property, or great opportunity.  Obviously, different people are inspired by different factors, such as money, work/life balance, or opportunity for advancement, so these ads need to be able to address those different needs and provide compelling reasons why your job is the best fit for them.  This means that job postings that lack the elements to create interest suddenly lose most of their effectiveness.

Employed, Not Looking, But If The Right Opportunity Came Along…

This person is even more of a challenge because they actually tend to like their job and have no real incentive to change.  BUT, if they found a situation that would be enough of an improvement, they just might make the plunge.  If your job posting needed to be inspiring for the active, employed job seeker, it now has to take it a step even further.  What is extraordinary about your company or this particular job that is going to make someone take a second look and apply?  This is the point where the roles reverse between the employer and applicant.  Previously, the first goal of many employers was to “prequalify” the job applicant by showing job requirements, but now, it is the applicant who is doing the “prequalifying” process to determine if your job is worth their time.  In other words, you are now the one being interviewed, not the other way around.  Do you know how to put your best foot forward?

The Sharing Partner of Your Job Posting

Oftentimes, it isn’t just the job seeker who is a part of the job hunt.  When we posted a job for Multifamily Insiders, we often heard that “a friend sent me this job listing”, so if it wasn’t for their friends, they may have never heard about our job opportunity.  This person suddenly becomes a vital cog in the hiring process, so you must understand how your ad might be interesting on a global level to inspire them to share it.

As you can see, if a job posting only has the prequalifying aspects and job responsibilities, it often will leave the viewer uninspired, which means it has completely missed out on three out of the four main audiences.  Inspiring people to join your company should be an exercise in self awareness - What makes your company special and a great place to work?  If you don’t know what makes your company or community a great place to spend every single weekday, then that that is the starting point, to brainstorm with your coworkers to find the best stories about why they love their company.  Then, craft that passion into a short space that conveys the message quickly and succinctly.  Just like with any writing, you have to “hook” the reader and show that you are worth looking into.  If you don’t, your job posting will suffer as you will be missing out on loads of great candidates!