How to write a decent job ad ?

Your company needs to recruit a new Accounting Assistant quickly, the previous one has decided not to come back from his 3-week holiday in Nepal. As every recruitment begins with a job ad, you’ll need to write this. You saw it coming? Spot on, you the Office Manager are asked to write this job ad. You should know that writing a good job ad is more difficult, compared to before. Today, the candidates don’t just simply look for a job title and salary which comes with it. They want to work in a company where culture and tasks are in keeping with their personal and professional goals. 

Usually, when we think about a job offer, one mainly thinks about the structure: position title, tasks, responsibilities, required skills etc.…The problem is that it leads to boring job ads and one doesn’t feel like applying to these. So how to write a decent job ad and quickly find a super candidate, who is in keeping with the requirements of your company? 

Why is it super-important?

After all, one could also say, why not write a run of the mill job ad, to avoid racking one’s brain? In any case, one is going to find someone. Yes but no. An average job ad will attract average candidates. But a job ad which is carefully written will attract qualified candidates and those in keeping with the values of your company. 

What must be shown in your job ad?

Several points are important for candidates while reading a job offer, and you need to make sure that each one of them is shown in your job offer:  

• Salary

• Advantage (a company car, a trendy phone etc.…)

• Culture of the company, its visions, its values and goals

• Company’s address

• Company’s industry and size

Write an attractive job ad

Take it easy on the skills required

When one writes a job ad, one has the habit of listing out several skills which are required, even if one tends to go overboard, just to find the perfect candidate. This isn’t necessarily the right strategy. So yes of course there are always essential skills required for this position. But try not making this list too long, be gentle about things. Instead of talking about an umpteenth sought-after skill, mention the soft skills which shall make this ad stand out. Don’t hesitate using the sentence “this skill is appreciated” rather than “required”, so that you don’t close the doors on candidates who are potentially interesting. 

Keep things short and concise

Surely the best advise which is easy to apply while writing a good job ad. When one is a candidate and one sees a huge chunk of text, which seems more like a novel and not a job ad, one feels like: running away. Too many details, too many requirements…a sure shot way of having to micro-manage in the future. Remove all the elements which aren’t important for your job ad and remain short and concise, not to mention attractive. 

Opt for a conversational tone

A job ad which is written in a dull and boring manner, is logically humdrum. Make sure you use a conversational tone, which reflects your company’s culture. Write as if you were speaking to a candidate. In your company, is it normal to be less formal with everyone and be cool? Highlight this in your job offer. On the contrary, are you the serious kind? Talk about this too, but this shouldn’t prevent you from opting for a conversational tone. 

Point out how the job offer responds to the company’s mission

Candidates don’t want to handle their tasks automatically, they want to contribute gradually, respond to the company’s mission, be in tune with its vision and values. Talk about the projects that the candidate will have to manage, but also the company’s challenges. Make a link between the future collaborator’s role and its challenges, so that one feels immediately devoted, while reading the job offer. 

Make sure you understand the position

If you’re an Office Manager, there isn’t much of a chance that you’re asked to write a job ad for a developer. However, you’ll certainly need to write ads for positions, which you’re not necessarily familiar with. To properly understand the requirements of the job, get information from the person who is leaving the position or other members of the department. Discuss these various challenges with them. Be capable of precisely describing this position, what a typical day looks like, so that you find the perfect candidate and not simply the most qualified or experienced candidate.

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