Skip to content
  • Home
  • Case Studies
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Book a Call
Menu
  • Home
  • Case Studies
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Book a Call

3 More Reasons Your Job Ad Doesn’t Work (& What To Do Instead)

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 Most of the time, they are copied and pasted from an outdated and boring template.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. 

  • ugis ugis
  • July 1, 2021
  • 9:07 am
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

Recent Posts:

Loading...

3 Reasons Your Job Ad Doesn’t Work (& What To Do Instead) – Part 1

  • 3 Reasons Your Job Ad Doesn’t Work (& What To Do Instead) – Part 1
  • July 1, 2021
Picture this: You’ve worked hard to create your new product, and now it’s time to...

You’re filtering job applicants the wrong way. Try this instead.

  • You’re filtering job applicants the wrong way. Try this instead.
  • July 1, 2021
Has the overwhelm of having hundreds of incoming job applications to review hit you like...

Why you shouldn’t skip reference checks

  • Why you shouldn’t skip reference checks
  • July 1, 2021
Imagine that you’re dating someone for a few weeks. Everything is going well until you...

How To Spot An A-Player

  • How To Spot An A-Player
  • July 1, 2021
Think about your best-performing employee. For this example, we’re going to call her Lola. Lola...
Loading...

How To Spot An A-Player

  • Recruiter Mill
  • on July 1, 2021

Why you shouldn’t skip reference checks

  • Recruiter Mill
  • on July 1, 2021

You’re filtering job applicants the wrong way. Try this instead.

  • Recruiter Mill
  • on July 1, 2021

3 Reasons Your Job Ad Doesn’t Work (& What To Do Instead) – Part 1

  • Recruiter Mill
  • on July 1, 2021

End of content

No more pages to load

ugis@recruitermill.com | Copyright ©2022 Recruiter Mill. All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Get cutting-edge hiring tips and case studies, straight to your inbox.