Avoid common pitfalls when posting your job ad. We’ve put together a helpful checklist of things that can improve the amount of applications you’re getting.
Why you are not getting enough applications for your job posting?
You have an open position. You’ve put together a job posting. But after some time of it being published the number of applicants is still low and suitability among those who have applied is not great. So what went wrong? Don’t worry, you’re not the first nor the last employer to run into these hurdles with your recruitment. Here are some tips and pointers that will help increase the influx of your candidates.
Have another look at your job posting
Candidates may have different reasons to overlook your job opening:
- your vacancy just isn’t what they’re looking for;
- they are not sure whether they’d be the right fit for the position;
- due to your out-of-the-box job title, it might not have come up in the search;
- they do not understand enough about the job to apply.
Some employers still don’t see the need to sell their vacancies and the company in order to attract candidates. The truth is, that it’s an important part of the process and improving your job posting is a great way to get started:
- think hard about the job title and the keywords – candidates should be able to find your job postings in order for them to apply;
- set clear and relevant requirements – your aim is to get the candidates excited about the vacancy – not scare them away;
- be visual – or use puzzles, emphasize important ideas with a slogan. You have to know your candidates in order to attract them.
Don’t forget to brand yourself
To be completely honest, many candidates don’t even know your company exists. Hence, they don’t know you’re hiring either. You need to invest in creating awareness around yourself as an employer. Candidates evaluate everything: compensation package, public image, work environment, physical location, etc.
To find out, what exactly you should do to brand your company as an employer, ask around from your current employees: What do they value the most? How would they describe the work environment? Are they happy working in the company, etc.?
There are many-many organisations that all compete for the same candidates as you are. The ones with a recognizable name and brand will always have a competitive edge and will sweep the candidates up, right from under your nose. Be sure you do something about it and create some visibility!
Simplify your application process
So you’ve improved your job posting, you’ve made the effort to be more seen as a hiring employer, but you still not getting any candidates? Then it’s time to have a look at your application process – it might just be the thing keeping you down.
Be sure to streamline your recruitment process in order to get candidates. Even better, put yourself through your own application process! Ask yourself the following question: if you were to look for a new professional challenge, would this kind of application process be worth your while? If the answer is anything but a “yes” then you need to make some changes.
Candidates are usually too busy to go through a tedious recruitment process, so make sure:
- they won’t have to enter the same information over and over again,
- all the necessary links work and there are no errors
- you don’t overdo with the questionnaires.
Just ask for their CV, short motivation letter (if even necessary) and some to-the-point questions. If you do want to somewhat limit the influx of candidates, do it with your job posting, not with your application process.
Create an experience to remember
If you’ve done all the above-mentioned steps, be sure to focus on the actual candidates as well. To create a superb candidate experience, there’s one major magic trick to remember: communication!
- Once you’ve received their application documents, thank them and let them know, what’s next in the process.
- After the first, second, etc. interview, keep in touch with them, so they wouldn’t feel like you’ve forgotten about their application.
- If there’s a hiccup in the process, be sure to keep them updated on the time schedule. BUT! It’s also wise not to prolong the recruitment process too much – otherwise, other companies will just hire them or your candidates will lose interest.
Improving the candidate experience will not only strengthen your employer brand, but it can create referrals from other candidates – even from the ones that were not chosen.
WRITTEN BY
Sirli Spelman
A recruiter and human resource manager. Sirli has many years of practical experience in hiring for the IT industry – excellent in both finding new talent and organizing existing talent.
