How to Write Effective Job Postings Carla Joinson

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Are you ready to be just another suma cum laude doctor of molecular biology with a second major in physics, genetics, and French literature?

This provocative question invites new graduates into Bristol-Meyers Squibb's career Web site to find the kind of job they might want with the company. Meanwhile, the snappy commentary throughout this portion of the site offers a preview of the company itself.

At Merck's career site, a host or hostess from each job family greets the visitor, who can then click on different jobs to see what they're like. Along the way, the job seeker can read on-line interviews with actual employees.

In the print arena, some newspaper ads entice potential candidates with provocative descriptions of their company and direct readers to a Web site for further information. Others give readers all the information they need to decide whether or not to pursue the job further.

Whether one approach works better or not is hardly the issue, say experienced recruiters who are watching new tactics evolve. What matters is that some companies are working to differentiate their job postings from the thousands of others currently glazing the eyes of job seekers. Creating effective job postings is a skill HR must master, say experts, or their call for candidates will be lost deep within Monster or on the back pages of their local paper's employment ads.

Post From the Candidate's Point Of View

"Generally speaking, job postings are very run-of-the-mill," says Gary Lowy, a recruiter with A-S-K PharmMed Associates, Inc. in Pompano Beach, Florida. "Nothing separates "my" posting from the next ad-why would a candidate want to apply to my ad in particular?"

He says that companies sometimes see the hiring process as very one-sided. "I've got a job to offer�and they often forget the other side-the candidate," Lowy explains. "The postings that will catch a candidate's eye are a little more out of the ordinary, something that gives them a picture of the environment they're going to be working in."

A casual search on Monster.com using science as a keyword, confirms his view. Posting after posting either briefly recaps a job's requirements, or gives a laundry list of required credentials. Few give hints to the company's culture, style or personality, and fewer still take advantage of the Internet's vast potential to jazz up a job search.

What should a good posting look like?

Get A Candidate's Attention

A company's posting doesn't have to be wild or zany, say experts, and something too weird or over-the-top may actually be a turnoff. Their advice: target your ad to appeal to the type of candidates you're trying to attract, then try to address any concerns and questions they might have.

"The number one theme of job seekers is 'Am I going to like working with the people that are there?'" says Glenn Gutmacher, president and lead trainer at Norton, Mass.-based Recruiting-Online.com. "Few people apply just from reading the posting," he says. "They need to do research to find more than standard patter. Whatever you can do in your posting or the things that link from it, make sure you give relevant information-candidates need to know why the job would appeal to them."

Linking to the company's home page may have value, but Gutmacher suggests adding a few extra links that "go to the heart of what would appeal to the candidate." In this respect, links to people (in the company) can be invaluable. "These links can show candidates what it's like to work at the company and what people do. You want the candidate to be able to visualize a job there."

One challenge companies face is getting people to even read their posting. "On a typical job board where you're in a laundry list of job titles, company names and dates posted, what would make your company stand out?" Gutmacher asks. In this case, he believes the job title is vitally important. "It's the only thing you can control that has an impact on behavior," he says. "The company name and location isn't as important."

Try to come up with something catchy, rather than gimmicky, suggests Gutmacher. "A software engineer can become real career path in software engineering. You just want to give a little vision that would be an invitation to click."

A second challenge for companies is a problem alluded to earlier-sameness. "When postings are shorter, they all sound the same," says Gutmacher. "Be as thorough as possible; you can create a vision."

Two big drawbacks to print ads are expense and length restrictions, which force the ad writer to cram in as much information as possible in the fewest number of words. Many observers say HR carries this philosophy into its cyberspace postings.

Unlike print ads, however, job postings on the Internet can be lush with detail. HR can do research to understand what's on job seekers' minds and then provide links to interesting supportive material about the company, job or career path. "When I talk to a client-which I liken to reviewing a job posting-one question I ask is 'Why would my best candidate want this job?'" says Lowy.

HR can also institute a mechanism to create and continue a relationship with job candidates through e-mail. Having good candidates in a database, with the ability to alert them to new jobs openings, gives HR a head start in filling new positions down the line.

Work Hard To Make Your Postings Work

Standing out from the crowd is usually the number one task for companies vying for the attention of posting-inundated job seekers. One way to make an impact is to keep the company name and image in front of candidates.

Though typical print ads didn't get them as much response as they wanted, posting to their local newspaper's Internet site was much more satisfactory for ZymoGenetics, a biopharmaceutical company in Seattle, Wash. "Not only was it easier on us, we believe that scientists go to the Internet instead of print, anyway," says Lisa Bishop, HR generalist with the company.

Bishop says that the company also created a "kicky new ad" that they use for their print campaign in job-specific magazines like The Scientist. This approach tends to pay off, say experts, because passive job seekers see these ads and the company name while they're indulging in their normal media habits. Newspaper and magazine ads that play up the company while referring serious candidates to a Web site also keep the company "brand" in view.

Postings anywhere should include the obvious, like job title and required credentials. Bishop says that hiring managers at ZymoGenetics do the initial write-ups for job requirements. HR then reviews and tweaks them for the Internet, or incorporates them into their new ad campaign for print and magazine venues.

Take Time To Develop the Best Posting

Since the Internet has become the workhorse of recruiting, it pays to put work into your postings there. Candidates who pull up your offering will probably have dozens more to look at from the same search, so don't give them a chance to get frustrated and move on to the next posting.

Include your salary range for the position, some of the essential duties the candidate will perform, and a possible career path the position might follow. Include any perks or benefits that make you stand out. It's important to let the candidates know something about your company, but first show job seekers the rewards they'll get from working for you.

Play up other pluses to joining your team, like great local, community, cultural, and leisure amenities in your area. Add—or create—interesting links, particularly ones that show the culture and personality of your company. Remember that you have the room and scope to sell this position by using all the resources and creative presentation you can muster.

Make an effort to position yourself strategically. "Most job boards sort in date order," says Gutmacher. "So try to get to the top—candidates will read all of page one, drop off on page two, and then drop off tremendously on page three during a search." His advice: always have the most recent date possible. "If you edit your job posting, it will refresh to today's date."

Finally, make sure that it's easy for candidates to apply for the job. Ashland (a chemical company in Covington, Kentucky) allows candidates to add a job to a cart for future access, e-mail the position information to a friend, or apply on-line, all from the first page of the posting.

One way to tell whether your posting works is by the quality and quantity of resumes you receive from it. Are candidates who apply giving you strong resumes? If you're getting vague, generic resumes from candidates who obviously aren't qualified, perhaps your posting needs to be more specific about credentials.

Are you receiving too few resumes for the talent base you know exists for the job? Gutmacher suggests packing your posting with as many relevant key words as possible. "You don't want nomenclature specific to your company to bypass candidates," he says. "Use acronyms, synonyms and other jargon as a laundry list at the bottom of the posting so it doesn't interfere with reading it."

There is little doubt that HR will continue to find the Internet a strong partner to their recruiting efforts. An innovative mindset will help you create great ads that stand out from a crowded job board.

Carla Joinson is a Stafford, Va.-based writer specializing in human resources and management topics.