Has this happened to you? You write a sales job advertisement for a position you need to fill, post it online and wait. But instead of getting a manageable number of responses from qualified candidates, you either get no responses at all or are inundated with applications from completely UNqualified job seekers. You can blame the market, the economy, the ad platform or even the respondents; but the truth is that the problem probably lies in how you’ve constructed your ad. While nobody can keep unqualified candidates from sending a resume’, there are ways to draw the right responses from the best candidates. Here’s how:
First, understand that the best techniques for writing an effective sales job advertisement are the same as for other forms of advertising. In this case, the job is your product; and the readers of the job advertisement are your potential customers. The aim of the ad is to attract interest, communicate quickly and clearly the essential points and to provide a clear response process and mechanism.
Here are some ways to sharpen the focus of your ad so that it only draws in qualified candidates:
- Showcase what you have to offer: What irresistible hooks are you going to highlight in your ad to reel in the best candidate? Figure those out and be sure to feature them in the top half of the ad.
- Emphasize the person you want: When looking to hire a new employee, think like a job hunter and write your ad based on skills, talents, qualifications and experience. Focus on the person you want, not the job you have to fill.
- Keep it short: Don’t use too many words. Use short sentences. More than fifteen words in a sentence clarity. Too many words in one big paragraph can be off-putting. They won’t get read.
- Help readers envision themselves in the role: Refer to the reader as “you” and suggest their involvement and responsibility (“your” and “yours”) when describing job requirements and candidate expectations.
- Use simple language: Use the language your reader uses. Limit your vocabulary to that found in the newspaper.
- Use the correct job title: Develop a job title that is literal, not creative. The days of catchy headlines and obscure job titles are long gone. Imagine someone trying to find a role as a Business Development Representative. Would they even recognize the position if the headline read “Engagement Manager wanted”? Probably not.
- Be Specific: While brevity is a much-appreciated art, it’s also important to be specific and transparent. Vague descriptions make it difficult for potential applicants to imagine themselves in the role, if they would enjoy it, or even if they are truly qualified in the first place.
Key responsibilities, skills, qualifications, location, salary range, benefits and company culture are still important components of a job ad, but if you don’t draw the reader in with a carefully crafted message, the specifics of what you have to offer will never be read.
Writing the best sales job advertisement and recruiting the best salespeople doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does take process, commitment and focus. At Sales Xceleration, we bring this expertise to small and mid-sized companies. Ready to learn more? Contact a Sales Xceleration Advisor today.
