4 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Job Listings
There is always a lot of focus on the do’s and don’t’s of finding a job: what to put on your resume, how to prepare for interviews, etc. However, on the flip side, it’s also important to focus on the do’s and don’t’s for those who are seeking employees, on how to attract prospective candidates. It may not seem like much, but no doubt, employers must put a good deal of thought into how to present their job listings so that they can attract a decent number of applicants who may be suitable for the job.
If you are on the recruiter/employer side of the playing field, you may find yourself struggling to reach the appropriate audiences or to even just put your jobs out there for people to notice. Or you may not be struggling and simply want to ensure you’re continuing to do the right thing. Whatever the case may be, here are a few mistakes you’ll want to avoid on your job listings in the future.
1. Using unconventional job titles.
Employmentcrossing.com, a site that offers advice and information for employers, suggests that using unconventional job titles in your job listings is a big no-no.
If you list a certain job under a rather obscure or unnecessarily long name (consider an exaggerated example: “Professionalist International and world-wide optical and vision-focused tenured professorship”), you may just be scaring off prospective applicants because they don’t recognize or understand what the job entails.
To avoid this, list your jobs under fairly straightforward, easily recognizable titles. That way, when candidates are looking through the job listings, they’ll more easily see a position that catches their attention right away.
2. Writing the job description in a giant paragraph.
Most people tend to skim when they read, especially on the Internet. For that reason, putting an entire job description in one long paragraph may not be the best strategy for getting job seekers’ attention.
To make things easier to read, consider breaking up the key elements of the job description into bullet points. Doing so will allow readers to more easily notice the main points, and they will (subconsciously) be more relieved at not having to work harder to read through a long, dense paragraph of information.
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3. Not including salary information.
According to employmentcrossing.com, including salary information is also important for attracting job seekers. Being vague or not including salary information at all can negatively impact how many people are considering applying to the job. But, if prospective applicants have an idea of how much money they can possibly earn from a particular job, they may be more inclined to apply because they generally know what to expect.
Everyone loves surprises, but sometimes, providing a clear idea is better so that no one is too caught off guard.
4. Having bad grammar or writing style.
Poor grammar is often a turn-off, as it indicates to readers that you don’t know how to write or communicate properly. No one wants to work for someone who can’t write with proper grammar; therefore, if you typically don’t have the best writing skills, make sure you have someone proofread your writing before you post a job listing. Doing so will help you to appear more professional, and will alert job seekers that you know what you’re doing and that you pay attention to even the little details.