How Do I Create an Effective Job Post?

One of the primary ways to retain quality talent is to start at the beginning with a strong, effective job post. 

The first step in attracting top-grade candidates is to target them on the most appropriate job boards for the type of position you are filling. In this blog we focus on the two favorite sites, LinkedIn and Indeed, but how can you use these to create an effective job post?

Most often a position that is upper- or mid-level will be listed on LinkedIn and mid- to lower-level or entry position will be listed on Indeed. LinkedIn will provide you with a submission and a profile to look over with recommendations from past colleagues the candidate has worked with. This is a great source for higher level positions because it will help to do extensive research into the candidate’s background using their network. Plus, LinkedIn has 2.1 million groups that will give your post the biggest network of people. Indeed is frequently used as a staffing tool because it is free or you can select to sponsor a post. The submissions come in as resumes or Indeed will pull information from a resume and create an outline for you. The benefit is plenty of submissions, however, a lot more time is spent screening them.

Job titles matter.

Once you have chosen which outlet is best for your needs, you need to know the logistics of posting. The goal in your postings is to be as detailed as possible within the job description but also ensure that your job title is very simplistic. A job title like, “Coding Ninja” or “Java Guru” will not receive as much attention as “Coder” or “Java Expert.”

As for Indeed, the title must be formatted a specific way for optimum results. For example, instead of posting “Trucker/Driver” you will need to post “Trucker / Driver” with spaces. This guarantees that your posting will show in search results for either title, “trucker” or “driver.”

Keywords are a must.

Add keywords throughout every post. For example, if you have a medical assistant position for a pediatric office, add the words, “pediatric” and “medical assistant” at least 3-5 times each through the post. This will increase the visibility of your post when potential candidates search online.

Indeed has an option to add pre-screening questions which can help you save time by weeding out resumes without the level of expertise the job requires. You want to attract the right people and save the most time.

Make it professional.

Be sure to personalize your posts by using the company’s logo which will make them more professional. You should also link the post to the company’s LinkedIn page to increase traffic to  your other job listings and optimize candidate application across the company. ₁

Both sites offer the option to add compensation to your job post. With most lower-level positions, it is acceptable to post the hourly pay rate but with mid- to upper-level it is recommended to not include it and save it for the phone screening conversation. This is intentionally done to avoid under-qualified applicants who do not meet the job requirements from taking up screening time.

Lastly, wherever you choose to post your new opportunity adding a tidbit about the company to connect the candidate to the internal culture is a huge selling point, so be sure to include the company’s promotions and benefits.

So remember, to create an effective job post, be strategic with your job titles, add your keywords and make it look professional to attract the top talent to your next open opportunity….and happy job posting.

This article on LinkedIn provides best practices for writing job posts for their site: Read Here