The job advertisement
By Career counseling

Basics, examples and tips

The majority of prevailing job advertisements consist of a series of common phrases that say little and, like a horoscope, appeal to everyone and therefore no one in particular. At the same time, however, many recruiters are confronted with strong competitive pressure on the job market due to staff shortages. In addition, there are industries that are generally unable to fill positions long-term due to a shortage of skilled workers. The job market is therefore highly competitive, and it is more important than ever to stand out from the crowd by offering meaningful job advertisements and thus attracting the right talents. 

We will show you what you need to bear in mind to score points with your job advertisement! We also provide helpful examples and valuable tips to help you find the right talents for your company!

Structure and content: Which elements should be included in a job advertisement?

The job advertisement should be clearly structured and uniformly designed to promptly present applicants with all the necessary information about the advertised position. Choose a meaningful image and an appealing slogan to stand out from the crowd.

The basic structure of your job advertisement looks like this:

  • Ad header 
  • Introduction
  • Description of tasks 
  • Description of requirements
  • Benefits
  • Salary information
  • Contact information

The ad header contains the following information: Job title, place of work, type of employment and working hours. The job title is of particular importance and must therefore be chosen precisely and clearly. It not only determines whether your ad will be found in search engines and online job exchanges, but also whether you will find and attract the right talents for your company. The title should be a maximum of 60 characters as to perform best in Google search results. 

Tip: Nowadays the majority of job seekers are looking for a job with home office arrangements. If this applies to your company, be sure to mention this option here!

Present your company in the introduction in a few concise sentences. This paragraph decides whether job seekers read on or switch to another job advertisement. Characteristics such as the size of the company and the description of your services or products are of equal importance as the portrayal of company values or the vision of your organization. The latter helps candidates gain an initial insight into your company and see whether they can identify with it. Studies have also shown that corporate culture is becoming increasingly important for talents. Thus, it’s worth investing a little more time and presenting this area in detail.

The description of tasks is generally provided using bullet points. 

Tip: Mention the tasks in descending order of importance and describe the most important ones in as much detail as possible. Be honest and specific so that applicants can get an authentic picture of the position. 

In the description of requirements, it is important to define exactly which skills and experience applicants should really have. Explain which qualifications and requirements are absolutely essential and which ones are merely desirable (nice to have). You do not want to unnecessarily deter anyone with ideal expectations. Stay realistic!

Possible benefits include opportunities in training and further education, meal allowances, health promotion measures and discounts. Offering voluntary benefits can help you stand out from the competition and make the difference for candidates, especially in industries with a shortage of skilled workers. 

Your contact information should include a contact person along with their details, who is available for queries or further information. To make the application process as simple as possible and to allow interested talents to apply immediately, it is helpful to include a call-to-action. 

Tip: A quick and efficient application process is becoming increasingly important to talented candidates and is often even the deciding factor for a final application. Consequently, more and more companies are forgoing extensive application material, such as cover letters and certificates. If you want to make it as easy as possible for candidates to apply and encourage them to do so, it is best to skip a comprehensive application package in the first step and only request a resume. 

p>In Austria, it has been mandatory to state the salary in job advertisements for over 10 years, but this has so far not been enforced in Germany and Switzerland. According to a study by Stepstone, however, the strongest reasons for changing jobs are the salary and employee benefits.[1] 91% of job seekers also want the salary to be stated in the job advertisement, as confirmed by another study.[2] If the salary is only actually brought up in the job interview and the ideas between the applicant and the company are too far apart, valuable resources and time may be wasted unnecessarily. We therefore recommend focusing on transparency, setting yourself apart from the crowd and conveying to candidates that you are willing to talk about the salary. 

Tip: If you don’t wish to specify an exact salary, we recommend providing a salary range or adding the statement “Depending on professional experience and qualifications, the salary can be adjusted accordingly.” 

Advertising, structuring and design tips: To increase advertising effectiveness

Of course, not only is the content important, but it must also be presented in the right packaging. 

Aiming to organize the flood of relevant information in your job advertisement, a good structure and an orderly layout are essential. Interested jobseekers who become aware of your job advertisement want to filter out essential information as quickly as possible. It is therefore crucial to use headings and bullet points. 

Meaningful images and infographics can also help to provide clarity and make the advertisement more attractive. A short video about a specific product, insights into your corporate culture or an image clip can furthermore support your search for suitable talents. It is important to include your own employees in the videos as to be authentic and thus give job seekers the opportunity to empathize with the company and its culture. Videos are also perfect for applications on social networks. In addition, according to a study, job advertisements with videos are on average viewed 12 times more often than those without[3]. 

Tip: When creating your job advertisements, you can make wonderful use of the AIDA principle to increase the advertising effectiveness, with the help of established marketing measures. Find out more here!

Inclusion and diversity: What you need to consider

More than a third of all job seekers have experienced discrimination in the application process[4], even though discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age or sexual identity is prohibited by law.

However, being sensitive to discrimination in job advertisements is not only a legal requirement but also provides companies with the opportunity to avoid excluding or discouraging anyone in the application process right from the start. This way, a wide range of target groups can be addressed, and skilled professionals can be recruited more easily. Naturally, these measures are also essential for diversity management within your company and promote long-term equal opportunity and gender neutrality in the job market. 

Distribution and placement: For maximum reach

Once your job advertisement has been created, it is essential to place it strategically to reach your desired target audience and maximize its reach.

It is essential to publish the job advertisement on your own company’s website. Many candidates visit it first to find information on your company and open positions. Additionally, More and more job platforms now offer data-driven distribution through programmatic job advertising across other online platforms. Social media channels are also excellent advertising spaces for job ads, which appeal to younger talents in particular. Sponsored posts or targeting options can be used to tailor ads by location, professional or interest.

Furthermore, leveraging various job boards and professional networks helps ensure visibility across multiple channels. These platforms are also excellent for establishing personal connections and attracting new talents through direct interaction. Multiposting tools can also be used simultaneously to publish job ads on several job boards and channels, increasing reach while optimizing cost and time. Many of these tools offer tracking features that show how many candidates discovered the position through each channel. Headhunting via networks such as Xing or LinkedIn can also be particularly effective in industries facing a shortage of skilled workers.

Tip: Make sure that your job advertisement is mobile-friendly. Many job seekers use mobile devices to browse open positions and submit applications. Listings with easy navigation and a mobile application system increase the chances of receiving an application straight away.

It is advisable to make use of several channels to increase the reach of job advertisements and thus attract suitable talents. 

Conclusion

A successful job advertisement is far more than a simple list of tasks and requirements. In a highly competitive job market, standing withclarity, authenticity and structure is essential to attract the right talents. This can be achieved with precise job titles, a list of relevant benefits, clear requirements and salary transparency. In addition, an appealing design, infographics or videos can enhance appeal. Inclusion and diversity should also be considered to reach a broad range of target groups. Strategic placement on job boards and social networks maximizes reach and optimizes the recruitment process.

References