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Article: Top tips for writing better job posts in 2010 Part 1 by Alasdair Murray

Part 2 will follow in next week's newsletter (Issue #440)

Many recruiters see writing copy as a bit a necessary evil. It’s something that they put off and off until they can put it off no more. They then hurriedly throw together a badly written advertisement and scratch their heads when the response is poor. But, as Alasdair Murray explains, writing recruitment ads needn’t be a chore and, if done well, can transform your response, generate interest from potential clients and give you the edge over your competitors. 

Above all, think first
Get your understanding of the brief right (I am assuming you take a comprehensive brief. If you don’t then there is no way I, or anyone else, can help you write convincing, decent and relevant copy). With this understanding not only will the copy be a lot easier to write, it will also stand a much better chance of working in terms of quality and quantity. So first of all…

Decide what the advertising is setting out to achieve
The whole purpose of recruitment advertising is, of course, to generate the right response. That means attracting the attention of the target audience, telling them what they need to know and persuading them to reply to your ad. So, get a clear idea of your target audience, then…

Consider what sort of response you want
It may seem like a silly question, but are you simply advertising a single vacancy or are you happy to do a general trawl of the marketplace? Do you want to deter unsuitable candidates whilst at the same time attracting the right sort of people, or don’t you mind if you get inexperienced candidates trying to punch above their weight? After all, they may not be suitable for this role, but who's to say they won’t be ideal for one in the future?

Maybe carry out some research
Nine times out of ten, maybe even ninety-nine out of a hundred, you’ll be familiar with the type of role you are advertising. But, there may be the odd occasion where it would pay to consider how easy or difficult it is to recruit for the position you’re advertising or take into account any preconceptions there may be about your client’s industry or their standing within it. Maybe the salary’s a bit low, or better still, higher than the norm. And what about the location? Some might argue that you can tackle the nitty-gritty issues like that once you have candidates in front of the client, but generally speaking, job seekers are more likely to thank you if you are up front about everything from the start.

Focus on your tone of voice
OK, you’ve got your brief, you’ve decided what you are setting out to achieve and had a think about the marketplace and any foibles there may be relating to the client, the salary or the location. You’re ready to write your copy! But hold on. Have you thought about who you are talking to? The tone of your copy should always address the target audience. Senior Legal people won’t want to read copy that contains phrases such as “Don’t miss out” or “right now” any more than a teenage sales assistant will want to hear “applications are invited” or “the ideal candidate”. You’ve got to get down with the kids (or up with the legal types).

Think of the copy as the spoken word
Copywriting isn’t about writing perfect English. It’s more about rhythm and tone, simplicity and credibility. If you think of it as the spoken word it’s much easier to write sentences simply and punctuate them clearly. You may have learnt at school not to start sentences with ‘But’ or ‘And’. But, in advertising, no such rule exists! And, there’s even better news. You don’t have to complicate the issue with lots of elaborate punctuation either! Instead of playing with semi-colons, brackets or sub-clauses, just start a new sentence. See? You’re beginning to warm to the task already!

Remember, you’re talking to an individual
Try telling yourself that you’re not writing a public address to the recruitment industry. You’re having a private conversation with one person who may well have had a bad day and doesn’t want to hear the same dull old lines they can read in a thousand and one other job posts. Candidates want an honest dialogue. They want to be able to recognise the attractions of your role quickly without having to wade through line after line of boring bullet points. They want to be able to match their skills and experience against what you are looking for without having to own up to be being ‘mature’, ‘intelligent’ or ‘reliable’ – or any of the other things we can all be if we try.

Try and be creative
OK, I admit it. It’s easier said than done. But, in the context of a job post, creativity really means originality. Try and be original. Try and say something that the other ads aren’t. Sounds impossible? How about saying something about the client or the job that no other employer could say? Maybe they are renowned in their field, perhaps they are going through a period of growth or change. Perhaps this is a brand new role or, within it’s marketplace place, a unique opportunity. Try and find a unique selling point. Every company has at least one. And, if you took a good brief, you can usually find something to say about the role that will set it apart from all the badly written jobs out there.

This article will conclude in next week's newsletter.

Alasdair Murray is a freelance recruitment advertising copywriter who has also worked at advertising agencies and for the national and regional press. http://alasdairdmurraycopywriter.co.uk 

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