It’s a candidates’ job market: the job seeker pool is shrinking and it’s becoming ever harder to fill positions, especially those that require even a modicum of skill.
In fact, the ratio of open jobs to the number of unemployed people in the U.S. is 1 to 1.4, which is big difference from the ratio at the height of the Great Recession in July 2009, when it was 1 to 6.6. In other words, today, there is just one unemployed for every 1.5 job openings. Gone are the days of posting a position and receiving applications from many qualified applicants: candidates call the shots today.
And so your online job description for your open position is in deep, deep, DEEP competition with others.
Here’s how to fix that. Take a look below.
- Showcase what’s in it for them.
Make sure you show how working for you benefits a candidate. Do you have incredible perks such as three weeks of paid vacation from the get-go, tuition reimbursement, cell phones provided, free lunches, and so on? Do you offer telecommuting options, bonus and incentive programs, free gym memberships, incredible opportunities for advancement? You get the idea.
Of course they need to work hard and help you solve your problems/challenges and reach your goals, but when it’s a candidates’ market, the onus shifts to you a bit more to “sell” your company to potential applicants.
- Don’t forget keywords.
And make sure you place them in the posting’s title. You also will want to stay clear of fun and “cute” titles (“Seeking Medical Office Ninja”). Instead, make sure your titles are straightforward and that you’ve made sure include optimal keywords.
- Stay away from boring.
Yes, we just mentioned staying away from the cute and quirky, but you need to make sure your posting shows that humans work in your office. Nice humans. Humans who can be fun to be around.
In other words, the body of your posting should be warm and relaxed, rather than staid and impersonal.
Remember to make the opportunity inviting (it is a sales pitch) instead of just listing job tasks and candidate requirements. You want to make the reader want to learn more.
- Make the posting mobile friendly.
Most people – and this includes job seekers – surf the Web on smartphones or tablets. In fact, Jobvite in 2016 reported that fully half of all job seekers have looked for a new position while in bed!
So keep the length short-ish. Skip the big blocks of text (bullet points and subheads are your best friends).
- Consider video.
Having a link to a short employer branding video (no longer than 60-90 seconds) can help present your company’s culture, mission and branding. A video lets a potential applicant see what your offices look like, see how colleagues interact, the dress code, and so on. You want to showcase your company’s “vibe,” showing how it’s an attractive place to spend 40-plus hours a week.
If possible, have one or more videos ready depending on the level of the open position. New grads, for example, will want to see young people, mentoring examples, socialization during and after work, etc.
Let Helpmates Staffing help you find Southern California’s best employees. All of our recruiters are CSP-certified or working toward certification (it’s a requirement to work here). We can source, vet and place skilled healthcare, finance, office, HR, warehouse/distribution professionals for you. Contact an office nearest you to learn more.
