Due to the large number of people applying for jobs on a daily basis, hiring a qualified employee for a position can be a difficult task. While many people prefer to post a quick ad on a local job board, there are more effective ways to find qualified candidates. To make a relevant and effective job advertisement, focus on the content and design of the advertisement.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Gather the information for the announcement
Step 1. Choose the title for the position
The title of the ad does not have to be the same as the position that you will eventually get. Pick a title that contains keywords that qualified candidates would include in their job search. Also, make sure the title describes the work that will be done, as well as its level.
- For example, instead of posting “Sales Position”, it is better to write “Entry Level Pharma Sales Representative”.
- Avoid acronyms or acronyms that not all candidates may know.
Step 2. Present your company
Use key words and phrases that clearly summarize the company and explain its industry, culture and mission, as well as why it is a great place to work.
For example, you might write something like “The mission of the XYZ Company is to provide consumers with high technical quality engineering services at an affordable price. Founded in 1970, the company is directed by Juan Carlos López and is located in Lima, Peru. Our goal is to offer our services to small companies and government organizations, in search of large contracts and strategic alliances”
Step 3. Write a general summary of the position
This is used to clearly explain the duties of the position so that candidates have a clear idea of the expectations of the company. Duties should include the level of importance and complexity, as well as the essential tasks of the position in question. Name between 8 and 10 main responsibilities.
For example, you can write “The main tasks of the catering manager include various responsibilities, such as the reservation of the room, the interview with the merchants and the execution of contracts, the supervision of the delivery and preparation of the food, and the management of the entire work team of the event”
Step 4. Include mandatory or exclusive requirements
These must be basic qualifications that candidates must have in order for their applications to be considered. The requirements must be closely related to the tasks of the position, as well as being necessary for the candidate to be able to successfully fulfill the main functions.
- The requirements must be objective. For example, instead of writing, "We are looking for a candidate who has attended a 'good' school," write, "We are looking for a candidate who has a bachelor's degree."
- The prerequisites should not be comparative. For example, instead of asking for a candidate who is in the top five for years of experience, write that you are looking for a candidate with five years of experience.
- The requirements must be related to employment. For example, don't look for a candidate with volunteer experience, unless this is relevant to the position in question.
- Avoid discrimination. Select words or phrases that are not limited to certain classes or groups of people.
- Don't include too many qualifications, as this can severely limit the number of potential candidates. Instead, write no more than five exclusive qualifications, such as educational level, years of experience, etc.
Step 5. Define the desired qualifications
These qualifications are the desired traits, but are not necessarily prerequisites for obtaining the position. Typically these “soft skills” are used to determine if a candidate has a higher level of skills to fulfill the responsibilities listed in the job posting.
- For example, you can request previous experience in operating certain computer programs, such as Oracle, but that may not be a prerequisite for all candidates.
- Desirable qualifications are mentioned in the hope that someone with more skills will be better able to reach the full potential of the position.
Step 6. Inform the application procedure
Tell candidates what they need to do to apply. Should they do it online? Should they email their resume or cover letter? Provide all necessary instructions and specify contact information such as email, phone number, and company website.
For example, you can write "Interested persons who meet the necessary qualifications should email their resume and cover letter to [email protected]."
Step 7. Decide if you want to include additional information
Some employers choose to include the base salary for the position (hourly or annually), commission rates, bonus opportunities, benefits, etc. You can also mention the type and duration of the contract, as a permanent, temporary, contractor employee, as well as the working hours, whether full or part time. It is also possible to include the location of the position, and the need (or not) to travel.
- To attract better candidates, highlight the benefits that make your company better than competitors, such as high salaries, bonus programs, flexible work hours, development and growth opportunities, and other perks that may attract potential prospects. candidates.
- You can use templates and checklists to determine what information to include, and in what order.
- Do an internet search to find different examples, and enter the following link for more information:
Part 2 of 2: Choose your ad channel
Step 1. Choose the appropriate medium for your sector
It is important to do a search to find out what is the best medium to publish your ad. You can do it online, in local newspapers, in classifieds and in any other medium that you consider. Think as if you were a candidate looking for a job to find out which are the most popular markets for the ad, whether it is in a virtual job board, a newspaper or a job fair.
For example, if you search for job postings in the area of education, you will see advertisements on popular sites, newspaper sites, and sites specifically dedicated to teachers
Step 2. Create a simple design
Whether you decide to publish the ad on the internet or in print, many times you will have different design options, such as the background color, the type and size of the font, etc. Keep the layout simple and uncluttered so that the most important information can be seen quickly.
- To ensure the legibility of the ad, choose a type that is not too big or too small, in addition to keeping in mind that the color is easy to see (such as black or dark blue).
- Avoid fancy or calligraphic typefaces that are difficult to read, and avoid writing all text in capital letters.
- Do not use designs that are too elaborate, a lot of italics and backgrounds with images or figures. While these resources are used to get the reader's attention, they usually end up distracting and slowing down the reading.
- Different layouts with the same content on different media can be effective.
Step 3. Advertise within the company
Post the job ad on company billboards. In this way, employees will be able to recruit their friends or acquaintances who may be interested. This channel is free and can be a source of high quality applications, since each candidate will be recommended by a worker.
Step 4. Post the ad on the internet
Online ads are becoming increasingly popular as employers have multiple ways to create an ad for a large number of candidates, as well as speed up the response time and hiring process. You can post your ad on virtual job boards like Indeed or Monster, classifieds sites, your company's website, or any other site that the potential candidate visits.
- For example, if you are looking for an intern, a college job board will be a great place to find the ideal candidate.
- Most job postings on the internet last about 30 days, and their cost can range from $ 25 to $ 500, depending on the website you choose. Go to the ad pages to find out more about costs and postings.
- Consider the downsides of some media, like classifieds, where you'll likely receive multiple submissions from unqualified people, and where your ad could get lost among many others over time.
Step 5. Advertise in the classified section of a newspaper
Classified ads in newspapers and magazines are quite popular because they are a traditional and inexpensive method of finding suitable candidates. Pick a block of space that allows you to write a clear and specific ad that discourages unqualified candidates. You can also choose a smaller space and post a "blind ad" that does not include company information.
- Instead of including the company's contact information, a blind ad includes a mailbox for candidates to submit their resumes. This type of ad generally saves money and time, since employers will not have to respond to all candidates.
- Since blind ads do not contain much information about the company, some candidates may not be interested in applying for the position.
- An ad on a full page can cost between $ 80 and $ 130. Contact your local newspaper for costs and other relevant information.
Step 6. Publish in a magazine or newspaper of the sector
These are great options for posting an ad when looking for a professional or technician with specific skills and qualifications. In addition, it will allow you to target a specific and more qualified audience. Find the most popular and professional magazines and newspapers in the industry and contact them for more information about job postings.
One of the main disadvantages of these types of ads is that they tend to have a slow response time, since they are published on a monthly or quarterly basis. However, many of them are available online, which can speed up the process
Step 7. Analyze the results
Save the information of the candidates of the different channels to evaluate which is the most effective. Record the number of candidates and their quality. For example, during the interview or application process, you can ask candidates where they saw the ad. Analyze the data and select the channels for the next ads, based on which ones have been the most successful.
Advice
- After gathering the information for your ad, you can remove some of the information if you find that it is too long.
- Remember that a job advertisement and a job description are not the same. The ad should have much less information than the description.
- Always use the spell checker and ask someone to check the text for you. To attract the best candidates, you need to write a good quality ad.