Are Your Job Postings Driving the Best Candidates Away?

Hiring is tough enough as it is; there’s no need to make your job harder. Here are four ways that companies are actually driving the best candidates AWAY from their job postings. How do your postings stack up?

Lack of Mobile-Optimization

If your job postings and applications aren’t mobile-optimized, many of your candidates are simply giving up and moving on. And, despite the fact that 45% of qualified job applicants say they search for jobs daily on their mobile devices, only 10% of recruiters are investing in mobile applications. Time is a valuable resource, especially for top talent who may be considering multiple opportunities at once. If these candidates are unable to easily read or apply to your job on their mobile device, many simply won’t.

One-Sided Postings

Postings should be written with a candidate focus. Remember to include the company and job benefits that will be attractive to potential candidates. Include a company description, the organization’s vision or mission, and highlight what makes your company an employer of choice. But take care not to go overboard. While it’s great to share company perks and benefits, don’t forget to also clearly and accurately define the role and responsibilities. Which brings us to…

Too Much Fluff

Some employers embellish the actual job too much in an attempt to woo potential talent. Candidates applying to be “rockstars” may know all about the foosball table and other company perks but the details about responsibilities and expectations may be unclear or misunderstood. A lack of posting accuracy can have far-reaching effects: one Jobvite survey shows about 30% of workers report leaving a job within the first 90 days, with nearly half saying the day-to-day role wasn’t what they expected.

Non-Inclusive Language

Job description vocabulary can make a big difference in who feels welcome to apply. Upgrade your postings by emphasizing your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion beyond the standard EEO statement. Share your current policies as well as the steps you are taking toward improvement. Avoid “gender-coded” words to make your job more appealing to all applicants. This Gender Decoder tool can tell you if your posting leans too far toward feminine or masculine-coded words. Also, check your use of corporate jargon and acronyms. This type of corporate-speak tends to ostracize entry-level candidates who are unfamiliar with the terminology, even if the concept is one they understand.

Want to learn more? Reach out to Advent Talent Group to schedule a call. We are happy to discuss your current hiring process and offer assistance to improve your outcomes.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and relevancy.