What makes a good recruitment advert

(Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Firstly, good recruitment advertising works and the knowledge/components that go towards compiling good recruitment advertising include:

• 32% of women scrutinise recruitment pages with others in mind, so make sure she will associate with the ad you have written.
  
• The ideal candidate that responds probably never saw the ad in the first place, not surprising, they're happy in the one they have and don't read job ads.
  
• A spouse tends to think their partner can do better than they are at the moment, again, be careful what you write and make sure the title is recognisable.
  
• In general, it takes 4-7 seconds to scan a page of job ads - make sure your job title will be recognised!
  
• Anonymity is one of the single biggest irritants (understandable), so be sure to brand the advertisement.
  
• Don't use the words "desirable, preferable or would be an advantage" in job ads, it puts people off, say what is essential.
  
• Use prominent sub-titles to job titles to highlight the "motivation to response"
  
• Write the ad as if you were speaking to the person, don't get bogged down in clever language.
  
• Make sure the ad contains a "motivation to respond"- what you are offering the ideal candidate that he/she is not enjoying at the moment.
  
• Always state where the incumbent will be based.
  
• Tell candidates in 3 paragraphs, what their job is, what they will need to do it, and what motivation/incentive is to be had.
  
• Remember, if there is no motivation to make the best candidate respond, then the advertiser will end up placing the best of the rest.
  
• Don't labour the response details and don't say that if you don't hear from them by X, then they must assume their application was unsuccessful.
  
• Don't merely slap the job, person and competencies required list in the paper - write an ad to show how important the position is.
  
• Don't use cheap media, use the right media.
  
• If you are using colour, then don't think the impact of it will do the job, the above points still have to be taken into consideration.

The future is in niche recruitment advertising where you can sneak up on a quality candidate and put a really good recruitment advertisement in front of him or her - i.e. the Top Marketing person who is on the Bizcommunity vertical getting updated on the latest happenings - put something really good in front of him/her in the form of a job title and motivating sub-title and once they have defaulted to the actual ad - they will respond, I guarantee it!