The first step to filling an open position at your company is writing a great job ad. The crucial thing is to understand that a Job Ad is not a Job Description. In fact, although they are equally effective at conveying information in their own ways, the two documents are fundamentally different. Here, we'll look at the top 5 tips for creating the most effective job advertisements to attract the right candidates to apply for your roles. 

Firstly, What is a Job Ad?

A job ad is a marketing tool. It is designed to attract applicants who employers will then screen and select. It describes the position in terms of what it does (and will do) for applicants—the benefits it offers them, what the company can do to encourage their creativity, or progression opportunities as part of their local team. In this sense, it's much more like an "advertisement" than an actual full description of the job itself (which might be published internally only). The opening aspect of your job ad should include the key benefits to really attract candidates. Many companies make the mistake of leading this with some “about us” information, which can be disengaging.

1. Address the Candidate Directly

Effective job ads are written in the 2nd person – i.e., they enable the candidate to imagine themselves working in the role. For example, with a good job ad we might expect to see something like “You will work as part of a small team based in Cork with a passion for marketing”, or “You are a motivated self-starter with an eye for detail and enthusiastic about all things marketing”. The way the ad is written encourages the reader to see themselves doing the job, part of that team, and in a particular place. This can help improve applications.

If you have any questions or need additional one-to-one support in preparing an interview plan for your next hiring campaign, contact our Employer Services team today. Click here to see how we can help or email us on recruitment@turasnua.ie