‘Demonstrated experience’ (and other outdated terms in your job ad)

I’m willing to bet you a million trillion dollars that if you head to seek right now and clicked on the first job ad you find, you’d find the words: 

“About You”

And under that, there will be many a bullet point. 

And one of those bullet points will start with:

• Demonstrated experience in ….

And under THAT, more bullet points and more words that tend to blur together andloseallmeaningandohdearI’masleep.

The key to a great job AD (it’s is in the name…)

Every job advertisement you press “go” on is showcasing your company to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people per day. So why most businesses aren’t taking the opportunity for a little company branding is beyond us!

Taking every Employer Branding opportunity you can get is crucial right now, as we simmer in one of the most tumultuous and talent scarce periods (autofill wanted me to end this sentence with “of our lives!” And although that sounds rather dramatic, it ain't wrong…). 

Think of a job ad as a billboard for your company. Does your look like this?

This is a real job ad on Seek today (28 April 2023), and for a Creative Lead role no less!

Stand out from the crowd and get your hiring spot on by using these quick but powerful ad copy tips.

1. The 80/20 rule

Spend 80% of your advert copy painting a picture about what the candidate will enjoy, what will light them up, inspire them and what interesting challenges they’ll get stuck into versus spending too much time listing all your features as an employer, which should be your 20%.

2. Set the right and unique tone

Most jobs ads all sound exactly the same. If you’re going to land that unicorn, you’re going to want to stand out. Explain the role and tell your company story, but do it in your company’s unique tone. Doing this will give an intangible feel for your company. (Even if it’s a traditional environment, reflect that in the tone - whilst still emphasising the selling points. Traditional doesn’t mean dull!) If need be, consult the Marketing team, or even just the company website. 

3. Breathe real life into your copy

“Our ideal candidate will have extensive experience as a Change Consultant who has achieved significant outcomes operating in...blah blaaahhh... “ Have you lost interest, or is that just me.... Create advertising copy which actually sounds like it has been written by a human being with emotions. This will not only help excite candidates relevant for the position you’re recruiting for, but will create more interest for your company as a whole.

4. Keep your eyes on the prize

By having a clear person in mind for your role and then creating an ad targeting exactly that person, you will find the quality of candidates responding is bang on.

5. The bottom line (is the headline!)

As a general rule, you should still use a traditional job title otherwise you risk alienating your target candidate. You don’t want to raise more questions than you’re answering. But then open your job advert with a unique line that urges candidates to keep reading. This and this alone can start setting you apart from the drab-ad masses.

So for all of you out there who are scouting for candidates who ‘possess strong communication and interpersonal skills’, perhaps start working on your own. 

We bet you the cost of a new hire that you’ll notice a huge difference.