How to Write a Job Ad that attracts $100K talent!

In today's talent short market, old-age writing practices can no longer get you the results you are after. Businesses cannot afford to place a brief, poorly written ad with minimal details about the job, matched with spelling mistakes and poor grammar, and expect people to apply. Today's job seekers are likened to consumers and like all other forms of marketing, time needs to be spent on the content of your ad as you attempt to attract the reader's interest. At Six Figures we encourage you to spend the time upfront getting the detail and content of the job ad right, as it will result in you attracting the right types of applicants.

Below are some areas to think about before you write your next $100K Job Ad.

1. Know the Golden Rule - AIDA

It's called AIDA, just like the opera. And it has been the time-honored golden rule to follow when writing or reviewing any ad, in any media, for anything. It works like this:

A is for ATTENTION
Your first job is to attract your prospect's attention. A strong, interesting and relevant headline is essential. In the case of premium job ads it might be as simple as the position title and the salary offered. Alternatively, use a catchy benefit-based promise that sets the position or the opportunity apart. Consider your audience and what would appeal to them and catch their attention, as a Marketing, IT, Engineering, Finance, HR role etc will all have different trigger points for the reader.
It is essential that you know and understand your target audience if you are to connect effectively with them. Competition for top talent is tough and individuals are more discerning and savvy than ever. They know exactly what they want and will work hard to get it. Your advertisement must illustrate empathy and understanding of their desires and needs. Donít beat about the bush. Get straight to the point. Let them know youíre on their wave length.
A great way to do this is to write to a particular person, someone you know well and is exactly the kind of person you want to attract. It may be a friend or colleague or someone at the opposition youíd love to win over. If youíre after another top brand manager for example, show the copy to your current best brand manager and ask for their input.

Research shows that job ads that include salary information attract a higher proportion of better quality and relevant applications than those without. In addition job ads that are written for a single specific job will grab the readerís attention over a job ad that includes a few positions in a single ad. This mass approach of advertising jobs does not appeal to high salary earners.

I is for INTEREST
The first couple of paragraphs of body copy must grab and hold your readerís interest and encourage them to read on to find out more. Todayís job seekers expect a well written ad, with some quantified content. Make sure that the ad is interesting and relevant, noting that it is important that the ad includes actual specific information about the job, its purpose, responsibilities, leadership, career progression, salary, benefits and the team. Always consider the reader while you are writing and ask yourself if the information is going to be of interest. See our High Salary Earners report to find out more about what interests this group.

http://www.sixfigures.com.au/downloads/SixFigures_HighSalaryEarners_Repo...

General statements do little to engage the reader and result in your ad becoming a blur amongst all other indistinguishable ads. If the ad written is of poor quality, your employer brand in turn becomes associated with this poor standard. This is something to be mindful of, particularly as job seekers are being likened to consumers.

D is for DESIRE
The way to create desire for the position is to sell the benefits of the job. You want your desired job seeker to think: ìThis sounds good. I want to learn more about this position. This is for me.î You can achieve this by breaking up the body copy with sub-headings or bullet points to make it easy to read and to highlight important points. Again be sure to include facts and information about what the job actually entails, specific skills required, the rewards and benefits of doing the job well, the quality of the team etc. Expand each ad you prepare to include the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to translate the job seekers interest for the ad into desire for the job.

Desire can be created in a few well written paragraphs. There is a fine balance between having a very brief ad and one that goes on for pages, remembering that the reader will spend no longer than five minutes reading your job ad.

A is for ACTION
Remember the role of your advertisement is to connect with quality job seekers. A successful ad will result in quality job seekers pressing the Apply Now button, an outcome each ad should strive for. Ensure your words are engaging enough to urge the job seeker to action. This can be subtle such as ìFor more information about this terrific opportunity callÖ.î or very punchy such as ìInterest in this position is sure to be huge. Make sure you apply now.î Only use these big statements if indeed they are true and if they are suited to your target audience.

Bear the AIDA rule in mind when writing your ads, and always check the finished copy to make sure youíve covered the bases. Even have someone in your team review the ad for you to see you are hitting the mark.

Writing a good ad copy is something that takes time to do well. This will require more time spent upfront collecting and preparing the copy for the ad however it is more likely to result in you attracting the right type of applications for the position and shorten the time to hire.

Job Ad Writing Training
Six Figures is currently conducting training for Recruiters & HR Professionals about how to write more effective job ads to connect with Executives and High Salary Earners. To find out more email info@sixfigures.com.au or call 1300 780 177.

Kelly has been specialising in the arena of Human Resource Management, Recruitment and Career Counselling for close to 12 years. Initially focusing on commercial recruitment, and later moving into corporate Human Resources working with the likes of Ernst & Young and General Electric. In these roles Kelly was exposed to best practice HR and developed a true passion for Human Resources Management.

In 2008 Kelly launched Six Figures www.sixfigures.com.au the premium job site for $100K jobs, a site created to provide job seekers with a trusted online source to find six figure opportunities across all industries and professions. The site offers businesses a new targeted channel to connect with six figure job seekers, utilizing current technology to feature job opportunities and information about the business in a way that appeals to today's high salary earners.

Kellyís experience working across HR, Recruitment & Career Coaching has provided her with a solid understanding of what the job market looks like, what employers look for and the common experiences and challenges they face.