Writing the Ad

Summary

Writing an effective job ad is the key to attracting the right candidates. Key information educates candidates and highlight USPs to sell the benefits of your organisation.

The job ad – online and the job search results page

When advertising online, your ad includes a brief summary before the candidate clicks through to your job ad. You should use this space to grab the jobseekers’ attention. Be sure to SELL your company but also to include key details:

About the job

Position title	- Keep it market relevant and gender neutral -, salesperson; consultant; plumber etc.
Salary range	- Relevant candidates are more likely to apply when salary is stated
Full time/part-time
Location	- CBD; outer eastern suburbs (more than 90% of candidates narrow their search via location)

Provide important information and format the ad to maximise the impact

Online gives you the flexibility to easily format your ads: Use bold font to highlight key information and bullet points to list any requirements – this helps relevant candidates match their qualifications.
Short paragraphs help to break the text and provide a better experience for jobseekers
Sell your company’s benefits to attract quality applicants.

The business

Highlight the industry	- Information Technology; legal; not-for-profit; retail etc. plus some kind of positioning statement e.g. “Retailer specialising in teenage streetwear”.
Describe the company’s culture / environment	- What makes you unique- a fun team; customer-focussed; great opportunity to grow with our business; a reputation for excellence; people are what our business is about.

The job responsibilities

Skills and knowledge specific to the job	- People management skills; strong financial management; attention to detail; supervising; directing; making decisions; problem-solving; able to work well in a fast-paced environment etc.
Expected results and outcomes	- Leading a team to achieve sales targets; contribute to our excellent safety record; establish new business partners etc.

The person

Essential qualifications	- Qualifications that specifically relate to the job - Post graduate degree in Human Resources; ‘A’ Grade Electrician etc.
Previous experience	- Three years management experience in a retail environment; two years in business development with proven results in building effective relationships with key customers
Particular behaviours	- Open and balanced personality; discrete; able to work well with others at all levels of the organisation; excellent listening skills etc.

Closing Statement

Brief closing statement with any exclusions	- If you think you’ve got what it takes to join our team and meet our commitment to service quality then we would really like to hear from you. - Also be sure to advise whether your job role is only open to those eligible to work in Australia.
Details on how to apply and closing date.	- Applications close 5.00pm on Friday, March 10, 2006 - Please check the “Apply Now” button below. We recommend you encourage only electronic applications to help you better coordinate the candidate management and communication process.

Discrimination – your responsibility

There are a number of areas where discrimination can apply in job advertisements and when recruiting people. Such as:

gender (e.g.: no “waitress”)
age
sexual preference
race/ national origin
religion
disability

Help!

Consider legal advice or contact the Equal Opportunity Commission (ignorance is not accepted as an excuse and can be extremely costly).

Step 2: Screening applicants