Job adverts, job descriptions and person specifications often seem like one and the same, but each one has its own purpose.  Today I’m going to be giving you an idea of what a job advertisement is and why it is useful.

What is it?
A job advert is what you will see advertised on job boards such as Monster, Reed, and Totaljobs.  It is made up of elements of both the job description and the person specification, and emphasises why a suitably qualified candidate should apply for the position.

A good example will take the key elements from a job description, telling the candidate what they would be doing in the role, and a person specification, giving a clear idea of what is needed to be successful in the role. 

Why do recruiters use them?

They don’t have to attract a high number of responses, but an appropriate number of suitable responses.  The main purpose of a job ad is for a candidate to take action, whether this is submitting their CV or contacting the recruiter for more information. 

From the candidates who apply for the role, recruiters can narrow them down (during the Pre-Selection stage of the recruitment process) to the best candidates, who will go through to be assessed and put forward for the job. 

What does it contain?

The language in a job advert should be appealing, using the AIDA principle to motivate the candidate to apply:

A job advert will follow a rough guideline, and should start and end with the candidate:

1. The candidate – open with an attractive statement, directed at the candidate.
2. The company – sell the organisation, especially if they are award-winning or held in high esteem.
3. The job – describe the position, focus on USPs (unique selling propositions).
4. How to apply – do not forget a call to action, and give candidates the means to contact you (e.g. email address or phone number).

When writing an advert for an online job board, ensure that it is search engine friendly, and include elements like an appealing, searchable job title, and rewards/benefits which will attract the candidate.

I hope that this has helped you when writing your job advert, and for further help you can check out our guide to writing job adverts: http://info.crunchposter.co.uk/download-how-to-write-a-successful-j...