5 Ways To Improve Your Next Job Post


You’re ready to recruit.

Have you written your job posting yet?

Is it clear and specific? Is it compelling? Is it magical?

Perhaps magical is overstating the potential of any job post. But does your post attract attention? Does it encourage candidates to apply? If you cannot answer YES to these last few questions, you need to stop where you are and be the applicant!

Occhio’s five tips will help improve the ROI on your next job posting:

  1. Capture attention and do it quickly

    Today’s job posting market is a crowded one. Taking the time to put yourself into the applicant’s shoes will quickly adjust your perspective. Start the process with ease – spend time searching for positions like the one you intend to post. What are you finding? How is the same job being described? More importantly, what are your competitors in the talent game NOT doing and NOT saying? Use these insights to determine how to differentiate your opportunity. After 20 years in the search and recruitment business, I can assure you – words matter. Words matter and prospective applicants take note.

  2. Include a strong EVP (Employee Value Proposition)

    Does your job posting tell candidates what they’ll get in return for investing their time and talent in your organization? I’m not talking about the “competitive compensation and benefits” that we as business owners and HR professionals embed at the end of the post. But rather the why – WHY should prospective applicants apply? What is it about your organization that makes it a great place to work? Is it your company mission? Is it your culture? Is it your leadership? Or how you go about doing business? Perhaps it’s not the role at hand but the growth opportunities down the road. It’s not enough to assume candidates will read between the lines or take time to check your website. If you value and empower employees, if you desire individuals who want to make an impact or take a department or organization to the next level, you need to say it. What is not said will never be assumed.

  3. Remember your manners – we’re recruiting humans

    You have heard it before – you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So, start strong. Why bother posting (with the intention of attracting job applicants) if it leaves those very applicants unimpressed or sufficiently uninvited to the table? Consider the difference between a dinner invite in which you walk into a room to discover a fully set table (one that set a tone and makes a lasting impression) versus an empty table and a conversation about “what should we order in tonight?” It may seem silly, yet your level of hospitality in a job post counts. And remember, if you’re looking to hire a talented human being, you can’t forget a solid dose of humanity. The language used and tone of your job posting helps candidates anticipate the culture within your organization. Be welcoming. Be real. Be genuine. Be clear on how to apply and don’t forget to include your organization’s DEI statement or policy.

  4. Anticipate questions and articulate hiring criteria clearly and specifically

    It may go without saying that a clearly enumerated list of hiring criteria, including the key credentials and top competencies you seek, is a given. Add clarity and transparency by differentiating between must-have’s and nice-to-have criteria to help candidates opt in or out of your application process. Again, be the applicant. What question(s) might the applicant want answered about the role? The fewer questions an applicant has after reading your post, the more apt they will be to apply. Much like a CRM, the data and effort you put into your job post will determine the ROI it delivers in the form of applications, referrals and related inquiries.

  5. Realize that your recruiting process starts here

    Consider your job posting as the initial outline for your interview. Not only does your posting illustrate a path to success by articulating requisite skills and desired experience, it also anticipates applicant questions, provides additional context, educates the candidate and reduces surprises. Keep in mind that communicating with the same level of transparency and specificity that you expect from candidates not only reflects positively on your employer brand but also helps manage candidate and hiring manager expectations along the way.

At Occhio, we absolutely believe in the power of a well-crafted job posting. Job postings and position announcements must speak to candidates to yield the interest desired from both active and passive candidates. Check out our packaged recruitment options. We’d love to help you raise the odds of a successful hire – from the start.

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