Writing a great job advert

How many times have you read job adverts and thought how mundane they were?

Rarely will you have read one and actually felt excited by it and sat there with an air of hopefulness and optimism that you might be brought in for interview.

So why is it that when it comes to writing a job advert you replicate what you’ve seen a hundred times even though none have truly inspired you?

The typical advert follows a few simple rules – job title, salary and benefits, a short intro to what the company does, a list of bullet points highlighting the responsibilities, and another set stating what the qualifying criteria for application are.

All very functional… and dull!

Candidates already experienced in a role know the likely responsibilities. But what really excites us as humans are stories. It’s an intrinsic, deep-rooted facet yet an undeniable truth.

So, start writing your job adverts like you’re telling a story. Write it like you’re actually speaking to the reader.

Tell them about the journey the company has been on and where it’s going. Reference the culture you’ve created and all the exciting projects on the go. Explain how much autonomy they’ll get or how you promote from within.

Whatever all the amazing stuff is you’re doing, tell them that. Make them understand why they should be excited about applying to work with you and why this job stands out from the others.

Certainly, include a paragraph or two about what the job involves and what the application criteria are, but get creative!

Tell a story and bring that advert to life!