Finding, hiring and retaining good people is one of the biggest problems facing manufacturing businesses and, in reality, many other industries.

 

Yet I am amazed at the number of hiring managers and HR teams that insist on throwing an advert on a job board as their primary recruitment system.

 

Most adverts just aren’t working. Fact.

 

Yet I see the same companies posting the same job adverts and still not getting anywhere. Was it Einstein who said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

 

The subject of only using adverts and therefore only getting the candidates who are always LOOKING FOR A JOB as opposed to the better candidates who are in work is for another time.

 

This blog will help you write better adverts in hope that you can attract more people to the business.

 

Now, if your adverts are working, carry on as you are. If not, read on.

 

 

What not to do

 

If you go have a look on a job board of your choice and choose 3 adverts you’ll see the same thing.

 

A list of duties and responsibilities that the person would be expected to undertake as well as a few bullet points on ‘the appropriate candidate MUST have…’.

 

What you need to think about is your audience and the fact that we are currently in a market with a huge skills-shortage. Jobs are in high supply, candidates are not.

 

If your factory employs engineers, for example, you will know exactly what I mean!

 

Most adverts almost imply that the candidate should WANT to work at the business. It should be a privilege for them.

 

Don’t write your adverts like everyone else. You’re dealing with people so stay away from the standard corporate wording that has been used time and again.

 

What to do instead

 

You might have the best company in the world but the candidate will be asking themselves one question – what is in it for me?

 

With that in mind you can really make your advert standout by adding things that will get people interested straight away. Write as if you are the candidate – what would make you interested?

 

Salary goes without saying but studies are showing that people are now as interested in other things such as progression, training and flexibility in the workplace.

 

Your adverts should highlight all that is good about the business as well as how much it will benefit the candidate career.

 

Don’t save this for the final paragraph, either. It needs to smack them around the face in the first few lines!

 

Passive candidates in particular will skim the top part of an advert so you need to get their attention quickly.

 

You can be as obvious as writing a sub-headline of, ‘why choose us’.

 

Here you tell them how wonderful you are, how much they will develop their career, the fact you offer amazing benefits etc.

 

Until jobs are in low supply and we have a candidate rich market, you need to be selling the business to people. They don’t need you as much as you need them and you’re in a fight with a lot of other companies in your market to secure the best talent.

 

This is only a small part to what you can do to write better job adverts so please get in touch if you’d like some help.

 

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