An employer’s guide to job posting

Understanding who you’re trying to reach is critical when you post a job advert to ensure you can attract great talent.

Begin by working out the career stage of your ideal candidate—whether entry-level, mid-career, or someone with senior-level expertise. This will influence the language, tone, and details you include.

Consider:

• Industry background: Identify the specific industry experience required for the role.
• Location preferences: Determine whether the role is remote, hybrid, or location-specific.
• Career motivations: Think about what drives your ideal candidates at this stage of their career—whether they’re seeking a step-up into a leadership position, a new challenge, or to broaden their experience.
• Cultural fit: Think about the values and characteristics that align with your company culture to ensure the right match.

With 58% of recruiters rejecting applications due to a lack of relevant experience, focused job adverts help to attract the right candidates.

Job title

Including a postcode can boost job applications by as much as 50%, with as many as 92% of jobseekers expecting clarity on working location. As a result, it pays to be specific when it comes to location, so remember to outline if the role is:

• Fully office-based
• Fully remote: Mention if the role is remote within a particular country or region.
• Hybrid: If it’s a hybrid model, outline the number of days they need to come in, e.g., “3 days in the office, 2 days remote.”

Jobseekers value transparency, and 62% are likely to ignore a job ad without a salary range.

As a result, a job posting with a clear salary range can increase applications by up to 20% and reduce the risk of candidates dropping out later in the process.

Beyond salary, it’s also worth noting that 58% of jobseekers prefer ads that list all available benefits.

Employers can create an attractive all-round package by considering the most desired benefits, such as:

• Flexible working hours (41%)
• Sick above what’s required (26%)
• Pension contributions (25%)
• Hybrid working options (24%)
• Learning, training and skills development (22%)

A great job description can improve both the number and quality of applicants.

Ensure you include:

• An overview of the role: Offer a short summary of the role and its position within the company. 2-3 sentences should suffice.
• Key responsibilities: List the most important and common tasks of the role. Use action verbs like “manage,” “develop,” and “lead” to describe them in an engaging way.
• What skills and experience you’re looking for: Let candidates know what your ideal candidate looks like so jobseekers can make an informed decision on whether they fit the bill.
• Growth opportunities: If relevant, highlight any opportunities for training, professional development, and career progression.
• An overview of the company: This is your chance to tell them why they’d want the job. Share what the team is like, how you like to work, and your core values.

Writing a great job ad is a great start, but how you post it can make all the difference.

Whether you’re using a Standard, Featured, or Premium job advert, there’s lots of ways to get your vacancy seen on Totaljobs.

Plus, whether it’s pinning your job to the top of search results or sending a targeted email to relevant candidates, Totaljobs has upgrades to help you get even more from your ad.

With 60% of jobseekers saying the design of a job ad influences their decision, and job ads featuring videos receiving 34% more applications, it’s crucial to create an ad that stands out and grabs attention.

Make your ad pop by adding your company’s branding, some high-quality images, and maybe even a video that shows off your unique culture.

Bringing it all together