Not impressed by the quality of job applications you receive? Hate to break it to you, but your job ad might be to blame.

Here are more reasons why your job ad might not be attracting your dream candidate. Read on to learn how you can fix each one!

1. Your copy isn’t appealing.

There are hundreds of positions for candidates to go through. If they can’t quickly decide they want to join your company, they’ll move on to the next ad. 

And when your job ad is a massive text block with no structure or hook, that’s precisely what most qualified candidates will do.

You want to hook candidates in from the moment they lay eyes on your ad. Every sentence should give them a reason to keep on reading. Because the more they read, the greater your chance of selling them on the job.

Improve your ad’s appeal by starting with a headline that speaks directly to the type of person you want to hire. 

Be specific. 

You’re not just looking for any social media manager, software developer, accountant, or whatever it is you’re hiring for. 

Mention the specific skills or talents that fit this role and preview what you have to offer. 

Then introduce your company and follow that with the key benefits of joining you for this specific role. 

Don’t forget to close with urgency and a compelling call to action to get candidates applying ASAP!

2. You don’t go into depth on the key aspects of the job. 

The Responsibilities section of too many job ads is bullet lists of generic tasks. Most of the time, they are copied and pasted from an outdated and boring template.

How’s anyone supposed to get excited about that?

Select a few things that are special about this role and hone in on those. Here are some ideas: 

• What is the specific outcome this person is tasked with delivering?
  Is it growing sales by a certain percentage in the next two years? Maintaining an NPS of 8 or higher in the Customer Support department? Whatever it may be, dig into it.
• What do people love about working at your company?
  Is it your hands-off management style? The flexible schedule? Your mission?
• What do they love about this role?                                                                                                          Will they network with international prospects? Is it fast-paced or steady? Is it working with your excellent client base?
• What could people dislike about this role, and how are you addressing that?            Be honest with yourself and your candidates. There are probably a few things you could be doing better. Don’t be afraid to mention what those are and how you’re working to improve.
• How does this role differ from what other companies are offering?                                  What are the unique benefits of your product and service? What’s special about working with you?

These in-depth explanations show that you understand the role. They signal that you’ve thought about how to put your team in a position for success. And the best candidates won’t apply otherwise.

The rest of the tasks and responsibilities can get the bullet point treatment (i.e., they’re good to mention, but you don’t need to expand on them). Just skip the corporate jargon and get to the point!

Here’s one of our job ads that has one hook and then goes into detail on a few other aspects.

3. You’re advertising on the wrong platforms.

Not all job boards are created equal. Some specialize in specific industries; others in certain geographies. Others optimize for remote jobs or on-site positions but not both. 

Where you advertise is just as important as what you advertise. 

Because you could have the most compelling job ad ever written about the most fulfilling role ever created, but no qualified candidates will see it if it’s not on the right platform!

So make sure you understand who your ideal candidate is and meet them where they are.

Not sure where to look? Our two go-to job boards for sourcing quality applicants are WeWorkRemotely and WorkingNomads. 

In our experience, you need a few hundred applications to find someone who can do the job well and fit with your company. 

Of course, you’ll need solid processes for handling that volume of applicants!

Putting it all together

Qualified candidates are looking at hundreds of job ads and offers. Your ad should convince them that picking your company is a no-brainer.

Doing that is easier said than done, especially when you’re short on time and need to fill a role ASAP.

But it doesn’t have to be so hard. Set yourself up for success by starting with an ad that:

1. Hooks your readers with appealing copy.
2. Goes into depth on key aspects of the role.
3. Advertises your job on the right platforms.

And by the way, we share our first three tips on improving your job ad in 3 Reasons Your Job Ad Doesn’t Work (& What To Do Instead) – Part 1.

Need us to take a look at one of your ads? 

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with us today! We’ll review your job ad for free and give you three to five tips for improving it.

After our free consultation, you’ll be one step closer to hiring A-players for your online business.