How to make job postings stand out?
How to spice up your job posts?
Jul 26, 2021 | 8 min read | Declan Igoe
Jul 26, 2021 | 8 min read | Declan Igoe
We’ve come up with a few watertight ways to make sure people are fighting with one another to get a spot at your company and we’re going to share it with you.
Now this advice is in no particular order however we will highlight the areas that we think are most effective as we go through them with you. So let’s get on with it.
Now is the time to review your current internal compensation structure and compare it to the market. Research your competitors' job descriptions, compensation and job titles to get a complete picture of what you're up against. As you are operating in the aeronautical industry, you'll find job listings of competitors on job portals like NASA Careers, ESA Careers, Space Careers or of course, just take a look right here on Space Individuals—is your current compensation in line with the market? Or will you need to customize it to be in line with your competitors to attract ideal candidates? As you study your competitors' job descriptions, take some of their best ideas and incorporate them into your listing (but not if they are boring)!
As a jobs portal, we’ve observed that many people apply by looking at the title alone and don’t even look at the job description before they decide to take the chance so that means the wrong title can cost you valuable time and even worse—money. It seems self-explanatory but to not underestimate the result of a good title. Include certain titles such as ".NET Software Developer" or "SolidWorks Mechanical Developer," to hopefully reduce the number of applicants that don’t fit the bill.
The second one on the list is perhaps the most obvious and easier said than done but don’t be afraid to step outside the box and write something that is a little out of the ordinary. Turn the tables a little and try to impress potential applicants. The more people you impress with your ad, the more applications you will receive thus vastly increasing the odds to find that ‘special someone.
What do we mean by ‘creative’? Well, look at every job post in the world and don’t do it like that. That doesn’t mean you don’t give the reader the information they need but instead think of how you present that information. Try something that embodies your brand like this Nintendo Animal Crossing job posting which uses the game to showcase the offices.
It's not just the job that's important; it's the opportunity to grow in the position. This should be reflected in any good job description. The focus should be on the future and not all on the past. Skills and experience are not everything; activities need to be highlighted. Mix this with a job title that will catch their attention and you have a successful job posting.
NASA, ESA, and SpaceX all hire a lot of engineering professionals who apply their deep knowledge of science and mathematical principles to figure out real-world issues. Specifically talking about aerospace engineering, this is the speciality that has an emphasis on building spacecraft.
Don't be afraid to add a pinch of your personality to your job ad. Candidates will spend hours digging through hundreds of job postings, many of which are identical to one another.
If they come across someone with a funny, positive, positive and motivational tone, it will not only grab the attention of soon-to-be candidates and job seekers but it will also attract some of the best passive candidates who are just putting their feelers out after a tough day.
And instead of just forwarding a typical copy of their resume, if they see that YOU have taken the time with your post, they're more likely to invest that same time in rewriting their resume so that you can get an idea of their full potential. Better resumes make the selection process much easier as you will know.
We would just like to take a moment here to add another point which is very linked to the previous one. Literally everyone is open to an offer that is visibly better than the job they are in. If you can convey this in your job posting, you will make great steps toward significantly reducing the cost and time of hiring without lowering the standard of your staff.
Regardless of the source (referral, job fairs, advertising, networking programs, database, calling candidates, etc), the most important thing is how appealing your opportunity is over their current position.
You should be interesting enough that the best candidate is willing to endure the follow-up interview and evaluation process. You need to offer more than just another job; you need to offer a better job, so make sure your grass looks a lot greener.
Virtually everyone is open to a situation that is clearly superior to their current one. If you can convey this opportunity in your job posting, you'll make great strides toward significantly reducing the cost and time of hiring without lowering your standards.
Job postings of 150 words or less attracted far more candidates than those with more than that whereas those with 450 to 600 words actively put job hunters off according to LinkedIn.
That means the rule that less is more applies here too. Shorter descriptions had a higher percentage of applications than longer ones. Brevity helps candidates get the information they are looking for and since most people first see job posts on mobile devices, shorter descriptions are better suited for today's candidates.
Describe all of the benefits, perks, office goodies or specialized equipment that candidates can expect to have access to when they start working at your company. For example, if the company pays 100% for medical benefits, offers free lunches, is a notorious volunteer in the local community or has bought new high-performance computer workstations—these are all the kinds of things you mustn’t forget to mention in the job posting. Do you have a breathtaking office with an incredible view? Don't forget to mention that! Some benefits are more relevant to different groups than others so be aware of what attracts the kinds of people you want to hire.
Job postings are the first opportunity to showcase your company to potential employees. Consider links to your company reviews, testimonials or images on your Instagram and Glassdoor pages, if you have them that is. If you want to get even more creative, you could even create a landing page on your company website. On this page, you can describe your company’s vision and mission while showcasing your office environment, photos of the team and other fun stuff. Adding a link to this page to your job description will give candidates a better understanding of your company. One picture is worth a lot of words.
An ‘employer brand’ is simply a company's reputation as an employer and the value it brings or what it offers its employees. Positive employer branding helps attract and hold onto quality employees who are critical to business success and growth. Often companies focus on a consumer-facing brand, which shows how your company is perceived by customers and potential customers. However, just as important is to spend a significant amount of time on the employer brand. The reason employer branding is so important is to demonstrate how you do business. It's what makes your company a good employer and separates you from all the other employers amongst job seekers.
However, it also helps your recruiting team widen and augment the applicant pool.
Without working on employer branding, your company can quickly sabotage itself in the sense of hiring and the process around it making it difficult to hire top talent.
Here are some tips for quickly improving your employer branding: Be active on social – it matters a lot more than you think, especially for the younger candidates Encourage employee training and growth by offering them opportunities Be proactive on career sites Create awesome content, think videos showing what life in your office is like
You must set time aside for employer branding!
If you were to summarise this post into one sentence it would probably be this: if you’re looking to hire the best of the best then you need to be open and show the world what makes you the best option for them.
Here at Space Individuals, we do our best to attract the brightest minds in the aeronautical field. However, once they are in contact with you—the ball is in your court.
Good luck!