If you can copy/paste your job advert under another company’s role, with the same job title, it’s probably not going to attract the unique candidates you need for your business. Here are our top tips to nail your inbound candidate attraction.
Always think: If you were a candidate, would you apply for your job?
Brevity is key
Jobs with six bullet points per section receive 44% more applications from qualified candidates than those with 6+. For jobs with 10 or more, the rate dramatically decreases.
The most effective way to cut out unqualified candidates is to use language that helps individuals self-select themselves in/out of the process.
Remember this is a job advert, and not a job description. Use statements such as ‘You will be excited by…’ ‘You will be launching….’ ‘You enjoy working on…’. This will help you attract a more aligned candidate.
We were recently inspired by Textio's 2024 article, shared recently by recruitment expert Hung Lee in his weekly subscription series; Recruiting Brainfood: article here
Avoid using the third person and use 'we' language where possible, as this gets candidates excited about the potential of team and collaborative work
Use 'growth mindset' language without being gender specific. Instead of words like 'hunter', use language such as 'there'll be opportunity to grow, by showing determination'l
Be inclusive
Women and people from under-represented backgrounds are 16% less likely to apply to a job after viewing it if they believe they do not meet 100% of the criteria
As above, be concise, and make use of the "Desirable" section of the job card
Use a gender decoder like this one to help identify gendered language.
Have a clear D&I statement and show a commitment to DEI. Jobs with a D&I statement tend to get 50%+ more applications and a commitment to DEI makes jobs 6% faster to fill
Be transparent(ish)
We understand that it’s not possible for all businesses to advertise their salaries
This is why we have a hidden salary field on every single role. This allows your roles to 1) surface to the right candidates within your range 2) provide confidence for candidates, increasing applications from qualified talent by as much as 44%
Application process: Give candidates an idea of what to expect in the hiring process ahead of time to manage their expectations
You will get better fit, higher quality candidates if you add a hidden (or public) salary
Location
Add your office location help candidates understand commuting distance
Experience Levels
We recommend selecting two experience levels, even if you’re sure your role is ‘Senior’
You don’t need to worry about under-experienced candidates on Welcome to the Jungle, but you do need to ensure you’re capturing the maximum number of of candidates who could be a good fit, especially when thinking about inclusivity
You can always change this if you’re not happy with your inbound applications
Your Customer Success Manager (Pro and Advanced package only) is experienced in optimising jobs in companies of all sizes, sectors and functions.
If you’d like to chat through your ideal candidate profile for a hard-to-fill role, reach out to them.