What do candidates really want in a job advert?
1. Salary & benefits
Salary comes out on top to be the highest priority for candidates looking for a new role.
Two in three jobseekers are more likely to apply when a salary is displayed on a job advert – making it even more important to make salary range clear in any role you advertise.
However, although salary comes out on top overall, the other sections of your ad are also important.
2. Convenience
Aspects such as commute time and working hours also take on a high precedence when it comes to finding the right job; 31% of people stated that convenience is what they look for most in a role.
Candidates earning 20k and below are even more likely to be focused on finding a role that’s convenient to them and will place this above salary when applying for jobs.
3. Day-to-day responsibilities
Day-to-day responsibilities are also in the top three for jobseekers, with 17% of candidates voting this as their number one priority.
This indicates that descriptive job adverts with a clear description of tasks and responsibilities could make all the difference when it comes to filling your vacancies.
4. Learning & development
Training opportunities within a role should always be highlighted in any job ad.
In fact, the candidates we surveyed placed learning and development in their top five must-haves when job hunting – even higher than factors such as your business’ brand and reputation.
So if you want to attract top talent to your roles, indicating that you value – and actively promote – learning and develop within your company could be key to your success.
5. Career progression
Perhaps unsurprisingly, one in ten candidates named clear career progression opportunities within a role their number one priority.
Ads referencing career progression are not only likely to get much more traction with potential applicants, but they also help attract and provide you with candidates who are looking for a real challenge in their career.
Applicants with a willingness to progress are more likely to work hard within your organisation; you will be more likely to gain high quality hires that will stick around for longer.
6. Reputation & culture
Focussing on brand can be beneficial – especially if you are looking to fill more senior positions.
Although brand and reputation come up in sixth place overall, applicants searching for jobs paying £50k+ put a higher precedence on reputation and culture. For jobseekers in this pay bracket, brand and reputation is the third most important factor.
Research suggests that millennials - who account for 50% of the labour workforce - care more about culture. They want to know how their work matters and how they will contribute to the company goals and mission.
It is not just important for attracting jobseekers. Including details about your company culture ensures applicants match up with your values and how you do business - something that should never be overlooked when you are looking for your perfect match. It is important to discuss a company's culture and core values during an interview and in the job advert; if employees are not comfortable with the culture, they are less likely to remain with the company.
7. Keep it short
Research shows most jobs ads should be about 90-135 words, unless the job you’re writing is very technical. In these cases, the optimum may be closer to 600 words.
For support and guidance with creating the perfect ad to attract the right talent, please get in touch: david@dandhrassociates.com
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Dand HR Associates enable smaller-sized professional services organisations to compete for the best talent. We go above and beyond, combining urgency with quality customer service and a passion for people and business. We aim to a business partner you will enjoy working with.
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