How to Write a Job Description That Will Sizzle on Social Media

If social recruiting is a trend you aren’t currently capitalizing on, it’s time to start —  84% of organizations are already using social media to recruit candidates, and 78% have actually made a hire through a social network.

If not knowing how to write a job description tailored to social media is what’s holding you back from getting on board, we’re here to help. First, we’ll uncover why posting job openings on social media is an effective recruitment strategy, then we’ll give you some tips and tricks for writing an engaging job description tailored to social media. Let’s get started!

Key Benefits of Using Social Media for Recruiting 

There are many advantages of working social recruiting into your hiring strategy. Here are a few of the major ones:

• Increased visibility. When you only post your openings on job boards and your careers page, it will likely only be seen by those actively searching on those channels. However, by posting job openings on social media, you have a much better chance of getting your role in front of passive candidates as well. 
  
  
• The ability to target specific audiences. While nearly all social channels allow you to post job descriptions for free, many also offer the option to purchase targeted ads. For example, Facebook’s paid ads allow you to target candidates by location, while LinkedIn’s sponsored ads can put your posting in front of candidates with the specific skills you’re looking for.
  
  
• The opportunity to show off your company culture. Social media allows you to promote your company culture and show candidates a glimpse of what it’s really like to work for your company. In fact, 77% of employers using social recruiting are doing so in hopes of boosting their employer brand.
  
  
• Reduced time-to-fill. By using a wide variety of channels (such as a mix of social media, job boards, and the careers page on your website) rather than relying on just one, you can find a greater number of qualified candidates and fill your open positions faster.
  
  
• Decreased recruiting costs. Setting up social media accounts and posting your job openings can be free (unless you choose to use paid ads). Even if you go the paid route, an impressive 55% of employers in an SHRM survey found social recruiting to be less expensive than other traditional recruiting methods. 

Now that you know why you may want to consider leveraging social recruiting, here are some tips for how to do it successfully.

How to Write a Job Description for Social Media

Be Specific 

To attract candidates who are actually qualified for and interested in your open position, it’s important to be as specific as possible when posting job openings on social media. The first thing any user will see is the title of your job, so make sure it’s accurate and precise rather than vague. 

For example, instead of making the headline of your job description “Hiring a Marketer,” use the full title of the position such as “Regional Digital Marketing Strategist for XYZ Company.” You’ll also want to include your exact location, so rather than saying the job site is “Our Corporate Headquarters,” write “Our Corporate Headquarters in Miami, Florida.” 

When your social media job description is specific rather than generic, it will stand out to the right social media scrollers; not just anyone. While a position titled “Hiring a Marketer in our Corporate Headquarters” could attract hundreds of unqualified candidates, a job description titled “Regional Digital Marketing Strategist for XYZ Company at our Corporate Headquarters in Miami, Florida” will attract candidates looking for that exact type of position in your geographic area.

Keep It Concise 

Job seekers don’t want to read a novel in order to understand what your job role is and whether they’re qualified to apply. This is especially true on social media, where users will only pause their endless scrolling if something happens to catch their eye. In fact, job seekers will spend an average of just 30 seconds reading a job post before moving on to the next one. 

Therefore, it’s important to get your point across right away and highlight the most important information in the title of the job description (such as the specific job role and location we just mentioned). When posting job openings on social media, the key is to keep things short, sweet, and to-the-point. Don’t overcomplicate your job listing with meaningless jargon or acronyms specific to your company, as this could confuse a potential candidate and make them question if they are qualified for the job. Social media recruiting best practices are to include only key takeaways in your job posting tailored to social, with a link or call-to-action (CTA) that will drive readers to the full job description on your website.

Use an Engaging Image

If you’ve scrolled through your feed on any social media platform lately, most posts you saw probably included some sort of image, gif, or video. Your social media job description should be no different! Don’t spend time writing a great job description and then forget to accompany it with an engaging image. What do we mean by that? 

Avoid using a stock photo in your job description if at all possible. Instead, use a picture of your super cool and modern office space, or coworkers collaborating together. You could even feature fun perks of the job, such as a photo from a networking event you held or yoga class in the office as part of your corporate wellness program. Highlighting your company culture and showing what being a part of your company really looks like will get job seekers excited your open role and the possibility of working for your company.

Be Conversational 

One of the greatest benefits of using social media for recruiting is that, when done correctly, it feels like a natural conversation. This resonates well with modern professionals, especially those of younger generations such as Millennials and Gen Z, because it allows potential candidates to connect with your brand in a low-pressure environment. By going through your social profiles and reading your own posts, posts you’ve shared, and the conversations you’ve held with your followers and customers, potential candidates will feel more like they really know your company’s voice and values. 

Another added bonus of social recruiting is that it doesn’t just allow you to be conversational with potential candidates who come across your social pages — it also allows your current employees to be conversational with their own professional networks and social circles, too. They can share your job description with just one click, further amplifying the reach of your job posting. In fact, over half of companies encourage employee referrals through their social platforms, with many offering bonuses for referring a candidate who is successfully hired.

By following these simple tips and tricks, you can post jobs on social media with increased success! Here’s one more tip to wrap things up: once the reader has made it to the end of the job posting, provide a link or engaging call to action that will take potential candidates to where they can actually apply. If you don’t have an online application portal, provide them with an email address where they can submit their application. Make it as simple as possible for candidates to apply to your job posting — if they have to jump through hoops to submit a digital resume or open 10 different links to find where they can actually apply, chances are they’ll lose interest. 

How Working with a Professional Staffing Agency Can Get Your Job Openings in front of More Qualified Candidates

Even though social recruiting is a powerful and innovative recruitment tool, it can still be a challenge to find qualified candidates — especially during times of low unemployment. One solution to this problem is working with a professional staffing agency to source, screen, and hire top talent! 

One of the major benefits of working with a professional staffing agency is that they can connect with their vast pool of candidates on your behalf. Professional recruiters are constantly working to expand their professional networks and maintain relationships with both active and passive job seekers — and can use those connections to find you the best fit for your next job opening!

At 4 Corner Resources, we often source hundreds of candidates for a single job opening to find you that best fit candidate. If that same opening was posted by an in-house recruiting team, it may not get nearly the same volume of applications. Beyond just getting your job openings in front of the right people, we then screen, interview, and check references as part of our recruiting process. Then, the best matches are delivered straight to you!

To learn more about how a partnership with 4CR can help attract the best candidates to your business, contactone of our recruiting experts today.