As a recruiter, finding clever ways to write your listings for job boards can become a real downer. Especially if you find your job board listing has not attracted the talent you need to fill a position. We understand how challenging developing a help wanted ad can be, especially if you work for a company that has an active revolving door. Before you open that job listing template, we have some ideas to help you cleverly craft a custom job board listing that will be sure to shine.

Be a Marketer

A job listing is an advertisement for your company. Remember it’s not only you that will be deciding if the candidate will be a good fit. Job hunters, especially those highly sought after skilled workers, are also deciding if your company is a good fit for them, as well. Your job listing needs to have personality and clearly express the advantage of working with you.

Call out a few value propositions that put your company ahead of the competition. Whilst you want to talk about great pay, benefits, annual and sick leave, almost everyone offers these extras. What does your company offer that others may not? For example, some vet clinics offer their vet nurses a shoe allowance to make sure they are taking care of their feet and backs. Do you offer a clothing allowance or provide uniforms with free cleaning service? Does your business close early on holidays so staff can spend time with family? Is superannuation paid on top of the adverstised salary? Make sure to mention these great amenities when you post your ad on job boards. Job seekers will take notice and be eager to impress you.

Be Clear and Concise

There has been a trend in job boards where recruiters spend the first half of the ad talking up their company. Whilst this is an important element for every job listing, you don’t want to start the conversation like this. Here’s why, job seekers want to make sure they have the skills you need before they fall for your company. If you start your ad with all the things that make your company outstanding, chances are those details will be missed. Job seekers will scan the job listing to find information about the position first. Make this simple for them.

Start your ad with a one or two attention grabbing sentences, then tell the reader what it is you need from them. Add your unique selling propositions and end the ad with amazing insights into your company to close the deal. This format gets the information the job seeker needs quickly and gets them excited by the prospect of working for you.

Use Visuals

Grab the attention of job seekers by adding visual content to your job listing. Does your company have a great introduction video? (If not, you may want to whip one up). Add the video to your posting. Your future employees can learn a lot about who your company is and why they should jump at a chance to work for you. A video also shows that your company is modern. For many, that means they will have opportunities to stay up to date on industry trends and improve their skills. Two important elements for qualified candidates.

If you don’t have a video, use images. You can add pictures of your team working. Create an infographic with a day in the life details. Not only will your visual content a garner great attention, but it also can work as an education tool to weed out less than ideal candidate.

Choose The Right Job Board for You

Now that you have a compelling job ad, you don’t want to place it willy-nilly on every job board you find. Sure you’ll be setting a wide net, assuming your ad is read by every visitor that goes to the job board site. We all know assuming only gets us into trouble. Many job boards feature job listings from every industry there is. Whilst these can be great, how many of their users are actually suited for the position you need? Your perfect job listing could fall on blind eyes if the job board isn’t easy to navigate and filter. Consider niche job boards that cater to specific industries and skill sites. For example, Vet & Pet Jobs was designed to attract employees and recruiters who are looking to fill animal care jobs like, vet nurses, dog groomers, and even practice managers. Make sure your ad gets listed on a job board that is targeted towards your needs.

Creating a compelling listing for a job board can be challenging. You can overcome these hurdles and attract an all-star team by remembering your ad is exactly that an ad. Be clever and create a job listing worthy of an award from an advertising agency. Be clear and concise in your description, being sure to place the important skills at the top of the ad. Amp up your job listing with great visuals. Finally, be a little picky about where you place your ad. You want it to find the best candidates, so place it where they are. With a little love and luck you’ll have candidate knocking down your door.