Which door would you choose?

Job adverts are the front door to your business and work opportunities.  They’re often read by your customers as well as your employees who want to keep up to date.  So why are so many adverts so bad?  Just a few weeks ago, I highlighted the clear disconnect between how we describe jobs and work informally to people we know compared with what we write in JDs.  I seem to remember my rather brutal comparison to a dog’s dinner!  And now I’m on my soapbox again, but this time it’s about adverts.

I’m keen to highlight some improvements which are easily made.  Like so many business processes which seem to continue without review or explanation, there are so many different elements to recruitment which are overlooked.  This week I’m shining a light on adverts and job postings, especially the ones which were popularised by the arrival of job boards and recruitment systems.  Almost overnight recruiting managers had access to their own (unregulated) shop window.  And all the great work of the creatives, the copywriters and the engagement pundits seemed to disappear in a flash, leaving only lukewarm disappointment and tautology.

It’s time to take job adverts seriously again.  Whatever the media, they need to speak to their audiences in a language they’ll understand that excites them.  They need to engage the audience (whatever the chosen media) with realistic (universally known) job titles, locations and benefits, and they need a strong call to action.  Then there are all the usual points about accuracy, inclusivity and clarity.  And I haven’t even got to values or how well they stand out in a crowded marketplace.

We moved to our newly built house about five years ago.  It’s typical of most new developments, although front door designs and colours varied from phase to phase.  Covenants prevented significant change although after three years, some residents wanted to demonstrate their individuality.  They wanted their house to stand out as different to all the rest.  Almost overnight front gardens were remodelled and front doors were repainted.  But far from showing individuality, there are now endless (repainted) grey front doors!

So, how do we recognise and assess reputation?  How should we make decisions about where to spend time and who to engage with?  I wouldn’t go to a restaurant which needs improvement or displays a “Chef Wanted” sign outside, although I would want to find out more about an assignment in need of my creativity and positivity.  I’d be more interested in an entrepreneurial start-up than a strong authoritative brand that might cramp my style.  For me, it’s all about the value of the total proposition.

It's been an amazing weekend and not typical of my usual routines.  It’s a while since I stopped working at 4:00 pm, and even longer since I went out for dinner on a Friday evening with a restaurant reservation at 6:30 pm.  And before you draw any conclusions about early suppers in older age, I’d like to explain that it was for an amazing birthday celebration with special friends at a fabulous restaurant.  Amazing because we were all friends able to interact side by side and experience wonderful flavours and tried and tested hospitality.

The evening delivered at every opportunity, alongside the Chef Patron’s reputation for delicious seasonal British food.  Put simply, we all had a ball, although as you’d expect I’ve been thinking about what made that evening so great.  First, we were sharing the experience with great people we know, and second the food and service didn’t get in the way of our conversation or enjoyment. It enhanced it.

By now you’ll have come to expect my somewhat quirky ability to link random thoughts and ideas – recruitment with Michelin starred eating, lasting friendship with hospitality and so on.  This weekend it’s no different.  Making your restaurant or business stand out for all the right reasons isn’t easy.  Most businesses have a brand that they want to be known by, although without the right publicity or customers the brand won’t deliver.

Next time you’re creating a job posting or advert, remember to avoid the grey front door approach:

·       Excite your audience (try the red front door)

·       Ask questions to engage the audience

·       Include people in your messaging

·       Reflect your organisational values

·       Tell a compelling story

·       Adopt a conversational style

·       Explain what the job’s all about

·       Include key information about benefits

·       Avoid phrases like “no agencies”

·       Read what you’ve written

·       Edit meticulously

What’s so good about your job adverts, why not get in touch and let me know? Let’s talk