Catch the Best Candidates With Your Job Posting

Marcianne Kuethen

Updated July 5, 2024

Do you dread posting your new job opening for fear of being inundated with lots of irrelevant resumes? Then you need the right bait, says Scott Kuethen, Amtec’s CEO. “Posting a job is a lot like fishing. If you hope to catch trout, you’ll need to use different bait than if you want to catch bass. You have to make your posting attractive to the kind of candidates you want to catch. For instance, the format and wording should match the level of sophistication of the position. If you’re hiring a technician, you’ll want to list a salary range, but if you’re hiring an executive, the salary may depend on experience or market rate compensation.”

To catch the best candidates with your job posting, you must first put yourself in your candidates’ shoes. If you were applying for jobs, what would you look for in a job posting before going to the trouble of filling out an application? Here are a few things high-performing, professional candidates want to see:

• A glimpse of the company’s culture and unique perks or qualities–In today’s candidates’ market, job seekers tend to look before they leap!
• The opportunity–Most candidates want to stretch themselves, grow, and/or earn more if they’re going to make a move.
• Specific key words and responsibilities–Candidates use key words to search jobs that match their experience, qualifications, and education.
• The salary range–To invest their time in applying, candidates need to know it’ll be worth it.
• A challenge–Top performers aren’t usually seeking a dull, routine job.
• Readability–Bullet points communicate more information at a glance.

What’s an example of what is not attractive? “The biggest mistake employers make is posting the whole job description,” says Kuethen. “Not only is the description too much detail to wade through, but it also doesn’t contain the right information that will attract candidates.” For instance, you need to help candidates discover why they would want to work for your organization specifically.

“Candidates will lose interest when reading a generic description,” advises Indeed.com, an online job site, “so balance what the job entails with information about your company.” To read 10 great tips with examples on how to write a job posting that will help you succeed in your search, click here.

For your next job opening, try putting yourself in your candidates’ shoes before you place your ad. Finding good candidates is getting tougher, but with the right bait, you can screen out unqualified applicants and catch the right candidates with your job posting.

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Are you concerned about employee retention? Here’s how to be your employees’ favorite boss.

Marcianne Kuethen

Marcianne Kuethen is a Senior Writer at Amtec, where she has written over 700 blog posts in the past 18 years. Her family has led the company across three generations, from her father who founded Amtec in 1959 to her son Barrett who serves as President and CEO today. Outside of writing, she makes art, music, and gardens.