Peakposting
performance

Best practices for writing a better
Job PostingAs the first point of contact most candidates have with a potential employer,a job posting can make or break a candidates’ impression of a company.

Neverunderestimate
the power ofa Job Posting

While job postings on online job boards are the number one resource job
candidates use to find out about open positions, according to a 2012 study,
it doesn’t mean that simply posting a job on a job board will guarantee
applications. Surprising as it may sound, what you say in a job posting –and how you say it – matters significantly.
In fact, in a recent CareerBuilder survey, 75 percent of job seekers reported
that the look and feel of a posting influences their decision to apply.
The challenge with creating any job posting is finding a way to maximize
what small amount of space you have in order to “sell” your company to aprospective applicant. After all, most applicants are probably skimming yourjob posting for relevant keywords – at best.
This report will give you the help you need to craft your CareerBuilder JobPostings to more efficiently attract qualified, relevant candidates and compel
them to apply to your open positions.

1Job title

9

Secureyoursuccess2

Jobdescription

8

Cover allyour bases

3

Jobrequirements

7Tell yourstory

4

Use
Keywords

5

ProofYour Posting

6

VisuallyCompelling

Start at the beginning:
Job title

1

As the first thing job candidates see, the job title is the most importantcomponent of your Job Posting. The job title helps determine – more thananything else – whether or not a candidate will click through to view your JobPosting. Use the following tips to create a job title that inspires action:
Stop advertising for “Rock Stars”. Unless you’re hiring someone for your Bon
Jovi cover band, do not advertise that you’re looking for a “rock star” for yournext hire. The same applies for “rainmaker” or “visionary”. Not only are theseterms meaningless, but they also lessen the chances your posting will show
up in organic search results, because job candidates simply aren’t searchingfor these obscure terms.
Use conventional job titles. Unconventional job titles confuse people. Ifwacky job titles are the norm at your company, highlight this fact within thebody of the posting, not in the job title. Consider the search terms candidates
enter when looking for jobs online and create your job titles from there.
Use specific but familiar job titles. If the candidates you want to target would
search for a job by spelling out a title or using an abbreviation, you should
use both. For example, if you are searching for someone who does computeraided design, include the acronym CAD in the title, as well, which will ensure
the posting comes up in more searches.
Focus on the job responsibilities. Job titles that focus on the main
responsibilities of the job will bring in the most relevant candidates.

Jobdescription

2The job description is a crucial component to the Job Posting, because job
seekers want to know exactly what they will be doing on the job. For thebest results, try to include the following information in every Job Posting
you create:•••••

Detailed overview of the responsibilities for the position
Time commitments, salary and travel expectations
Interesting challenges of the job and desirable aspects of the job
Role the position and department has within the company
Potential for growth within the company

Whatever you do, never write a job positing to appeal to a broad range ofcandidates. Have your specific, ideal candidate in mind and write the Job
Posting to match that person’s attributes, skills and experience. For instance,
if you are looking for a CPA with five plus years of experience and an MBA
in finance, state it in the Job Posting. This practice effectively weeds out thecandidates who do not meet your needs, and leaves you with more relevant
candidates who meet your core requirements.

Jobrequirements

3•

Section it off: Make this section stand out to ensure candidates will see it.

•Distinguish between the “must have” skills and the “desired” skills for thejob. Keep in mind that, the harder a position is to fill, the more you may
want to be flexible on must-have skills. Before posting, think about theskills you’re willing to train for, and include those in the “desired” skills.

•Avoid company jargon. A lot of companies have their own lingo. Make
sure your job descriptions do not contain any language only internal
employees would recognize.

•Use bullet points: The easier it is for candidates to read and “check off”
the requirements they meet, the less likely they are to simply skim theposting and miss crucial information.

•State your intent: Deter unqualified candidates from applying byadding a statement to clarify that only those who meet the minimum
requirements of the job will be considered for the position.

of job candidates say the look and feel of a JobPosting has influenced their decision to apply.

75%

Usekeywords

Every Job Posting should include the skills necessary to fulfill the role. Whenwriting the job requirements, keep the following things in mind:

4The more relevant keywords you include in your Job Posting, the higher
your posting will appear in job seekers’ search results. Take a moment toassess your Job Posting and consider where you can substitute keywords
a job candidate would use in his or her job search. For example, insteadof saying, “The person in this position will be required to…” say, “TheMarketing Manager will be required to…”
Again, think like a job candidate to include words that individual might use
when searching for jobs. Remember to include important keywords such asalternate job titles, responsibilities and skills needed for the position.
For example, if you are searching for a nurse, you should make sure toinclude the keywords of “nurses”, “registered nurse”, “RN” and “BSN”.

Proofyour posting

5Grammar and spelling mistakes on a resume can reflect poorly on acandidate, but it works the same way for employers. A Job Posting that
contains spelling or grammatical errors sends a message that you do not careabout the impression you leave candidates, and it reflects poorly on youremployment brand.
Even the best, most thorough writers aren’t immune to the occasional typo,so proofread your postings yourself or ask a colleague to check for errors you
might have missed.

21%
Make itvisuallycompelling

6

Company logos or slogans can increase
applications by 13% to 21%.

As mentioned earlier, 75 percent of job candidates say the look and feel ofa Job Posting has influenced their decision to apply. Include the following
features to create a more engaging Job Posting:Use bullets and bold type. Use bold type to draw attention to different
sections of the Job Posting, from ‘Job Requirements’ to ‘Company Benefits’ to‘About Us’ information. Then use bullets to break up long blocks of text anddraw attention to important information under these sections. (Just don’t go
overboard: a long list of bullets is just as ineffective and daze-inducing as acontinuous block of text.)
Compensation information. It may be a controversial subject, but includingsalary information in your job posting increases performance and ultimately
saves time. If you don’t want to include a definite number or range, consider
including a benefit statement such as: “Great pay—higher than industry
average, commensurate upon experience, bonuses paid each quarter,
opportunities for additional commissions.”
Graphics. Wherever possible, include company logos or slogans in the job
posting, which can increase applications by 13 to 21 percent, as well as icons
linking to any recruitment videos you might have. According to CareerBuilder
internal data, Job Postings with video icons are viewed 12 percent more thanpostings without video, and CareerBuilder clients receive a 34 percent greaterapplication rate when they add video to their job postings.
Remember, the easier a Job Posting is to read, the more likely a job candidate
is to read it in full and recognize whether or not he or she is truly qualified
for the position, and the less likely you are to end up with a stack ofunqualified candidates.

Tellyour story

7Job Postings are your chance to “sell” the position to job candidates, so make sure
you designate a section in the Job Posting for your employee value proposition.
Clarify what it is that would make someone want to work for your company.
Whether you choose to communicate that message through employee
testimonials, a listing of the best places to work awards you’ve won, or as theopening statement to your Job Posting, a truly effective job posting tells job
seekers why they should apply to work for your company.
As you consider what information to include, consider a 2009 CareerBuilder
study, wherein job candidates named the following factors to be mostimportant attributes they sought in potential employers:
1. Stability and longevity in the market
2. Good career advancement opportunities
3. Good work culture
4. Flexible work arrangements

12%
Cover allyour bases

8

Job postings with video icons are viewed
12% more than postings without video.

If applicable, associate your Job Posting with multiple industries to increase its
visibility. For example, if you are a pharmaceutical company in search of a sales
manager, link your posting to multiple industries, such as sales and marketing,health care and pharmaceutical.
Many professions can be cross-posted, such as public relations, accounting,
Web design and programmers, just to name a few. Doing so allows candidates
to pull up your Job Posting in more searches. Just, again, make sure theindustries you associate your Job Posting are relevant.

34%

CareerBuilder clients receive a 34% greater application
rate when they add video to their job postings.

Secureyour success

9Everyone benefits from a well-written Job Posting. Job candidates benefit
because they have the knowledge to better determine if this is a position forwhich they would like to apply.
You and your company benefit because the detail you provided in your Job
Posting will help you receive only resumes from more relevant, higher potential
candidates. In the end, a well-crafted Job Posting can help you reduce yourtime to hire and save money in the process.

CareerBuilder is a global leader in human capital solutions, helping organisations match the right talent with the rightopportunity through a wide range of solutions including medias and a powerful recruitment platform.
CareerBuilder works with the world’s top employers providing resources for everything from employer branding andtalent intelligence to recruitment support.
More than 10,000 websites feature CareerBuilder’s proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned
by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI), CareerBuilder and its
subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, South America, Canada and Asia.
For more information, visit www.hiring.careerbuilder.co.uk.

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