How to write job postings that convert

Your job postings are in many ways the hub of your recruiting efforts. Your social posts, recruiting ads, and email blasts are all designed to get traffic to those job postings. So why is it then that many recruiters and organizations simply copy and paste job descriptions rather than putting effort into job postings that “sell?” That’s what ultimately leads to job postings that convert.

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Job postings are advertisements for your jobs and your company. And in what feels like a permanent candidate’s market, it’s more important than ever that you carefully craft your job postings to convert. Yes, like sales copy. Your job postings are essentially landing pages for your company, and an application is a “conversion.” That shift in mindset is a critical first step toward better results from your job postings.

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But what convinces candidates to apply to your jobs? At a high level, your job postings should convince candidates that your company and job are worth the effort. Because let’s admit it, we know that applying to jobs can be a chore. From crafting a cover letter and resume to going through an ATS. Then going through what is often a long hiring process…it’s no wonder candidates need some wooing to apply.

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It’s up to you to “woo” them from the get-go.

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Well-crafted job postings attract the right talent to apply, and help to successfully convert them. So, what goes into successful job postings then?

Your step-by-step guide to writing job postings that convert

Let’s walk through the major parts of a successful job posting to help you improve conversion on your job posting. There are some templated suggestions here that you can massage and edit to make work for your organization, but these are a good place to start:

Title

• Avoid proprietary jargon to your company - It’s confusing and causes unnecessary bloat. In many ways, applying to jobs is an emotional reaction, an “impulse buy,” so to speak. If you give candidates a reason to pause and be confused, it increases the likelihood they drop off without applying.
• Avoid ALL CAPS AND UNNECESSARY PUNCTUATION because no one wants you to scream, and whatever you think is worthy of capitalizing probably isn’t so worthy. Just speak to candidates like human beings.
• Start with the job title so it’s easy to see what’s a fit - The title of your job posting should have the most important part first – the actual job title. Avoid getting cutesy here so that candidates can immediately tell whether or not this role is a fit for them.

Introduction

Remember: many professionals have had bad experiences with recruiters in the past. Your introduction needs to quickly and succinctly make it clear that you are not going to waste candidates’ time, and that your job posting is worth reading completely (the rest of the posting will help convert – your introduction should just get them to “stay” and read!).

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• Don’t start with your company - make it about them
• Think like the talent who are viewing these job postings

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So, instead of:

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“[OUR COMPANY] is an established company that was founded in 1966…”,

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Start your job posting by grabbing the attention and emotions of a prospective candidate:

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Are you ready for a change? Looking for an organization that will support your goals and treat you like a professional? We’re looking for an experienced [ROLE] to join our team here at [COMPANY].

The “Meat”

The “meat” of your job posting is where so many companies simply paste a bulleted list of job duties and requirements from the official job descriptions.

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But, if a prospective candidate has scrolled down this far - they’re interested! Use this space wisely, as it’s going to help convert the job viewer into the job candidate.

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Rather than going with the standard:

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Duties

Requirements

Benefits

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remember that for many of these positions, those bullets are going to be 90% the same for every company. If your job posting is in a “sea of same,” how is someone going to know they should apply to your job??

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To stand out and grab candidates’ attention, try using new section headers like these:

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You’ll thrive in this position if you… (talk about the personality traits, skill sets, etc that will make someone successful in the role)

You’ll love working here because… (talk about the benefits and unique culture that you bring to the table)

You may be a good fit if you… (talk about the certifications and other requirements for the role)

The details (this is where you’ll talk about job location, hours, etcetera)

Where no one has gone before

Structuring your job postings in a different way is a great way to stand out and grab the attention of prospective candidates (it also helps you better tell the story of who you’re looking for to weed out unqualified or poor-fit candidates).

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But to go a step further in the “meat” of your job postings, remember this:

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• While every candidate wants pay transparency today (and some states are beginning to regulate it in job postings), professionals are unlikely to apply without some details on pay - it’s unavoidable.
• If your pay isn’t the highest in the area, be up front about it in the job posting - you’ll save your recruiters time (and avoid costly no shows) and have a better reputation with talent than if you bring in professionals for interviews and hope they won’t mind the salary.
• Regardless of pay (but especially if your pay isn’t the highest in your area/field), be sure to talk about the other benefits of working with your company – talk about what makes your organization a great place to work! Do you offer a generous vacation policy? Do you offer parental leave? Flexible shifts? Pizza Fridays? Think about how you will create a better work environment - then share it in the job posting!
• Talent today doesn’t have time for unnecessary interviews, rescheduling, and other hiring process inefficiencies that frustrate talent and cause them to go elsewhere. Candidates in your funnel are likely in other organizations’ funnels too! Build rapport, set expectations, and earn trust by letting talent know in the job posting that you’re going to respect their time. You could go so far as to let them know that if they interview tomorrow, they could start next week (or whatever is accurate for your organization).

The close

Remember, your job postings are essentially sales landing pages for your organization. Your “landing page” should have a close to help you convert that visitor into a candidate.

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The exact location of “the close” may differ based on whether the job posting is located on your website, Indeed, LinkedIn, etcetera; however, the essence of it is the same: One final push to get the right professionals to apply.

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If there’s one thing that your employees love most about working for you, what is it? Strike with that emotional appeal and your job posting is more likely to convert. Something like this:

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So, if you’re tired of not knowing when you’re working and coming home exhausted and stressed each day, there IS something better. At [COMPANY] we are here for you, and we’d love for you to join our team. Apply today.

What should you do once you’ve crafted job postings that are sure to convert?

Remember, the job postings are the hub of your recruitment marketing efforts. So what about getting more traffic to those job postings and ultimately, more candidates in your funnel? Here are some of our favorite tips to help boost employee referrals. And here are some tips – and cold recruiting email templates – to help you add new talent the top of your funnel.

If you’re looking to go all-in on automation to build a stronger candidate funnel (and move candidates down that funnel), check out our Recruiting Automation playbook. It’s chock full of strategies and advice to help you build out a strong strategy that is sure to get more traffic to those newly-improved job postings.