How to write a convincing job ad: 4 dos and 4 don’ts
There’s an art to writing a job ad. This first contact between your company and your potential employee gives you a chance to make a good first impression. And yes, you can use artificial intelligence to create a job ad for you. But between you and me, its attempts to add a “touch of humor” aren’t always successful.
Whether you write your own job ad or have it written by a robot like ChatGPT or DeepSeek, here are 4 things to do and 4 things to avoid. We bet you’ll attract the attention of the right candidates?
A convincing job offer: 4 things to do
1 ) An original hook
First and foremost, grab attention with your first sentence, otherwise your candidate will quickly scroll elsewhere. Make sure that your first sentence immediately grabs your reader’s attention. The aim is to tickle their curiosity.
“Do you want to become an essential link in the future of renewable energies? Take up the challenge!”
This sentence immediately grabs the reader’s attention and gives him/her an idea of the impact he/she could have.
2) Give a clear idea of what the job entails
Avoid vague terms like “challenging job” or “lots of responsibility”. Instead, describe concretely what you expect from the candidate. For example:
“You will be responsible for writing monthly marketing reports and analyzing campaign results, in order to optimize our strategy.”
Another thing to explain clearly: the next step. How should the candidate actually apply, and what can he/she expect next? Give an idea of the timing, and stick to it. Nothing makes a worse impression than the feeling of being “ghosted” after applying.
3) Bring out the company’s culture in your text
What’s your corporate tone? It should be reflected in your job ad. This will give candidates a better idea of your corporate culture. Informal and playful? Hyper-professional, tinged with a competitive spirit? Convey this atmosphere in your text.
“At our company, we do everything together: collaborate, get results… and have a good laugh. Oh yes, and the monthly afterwork drinks are sacred”.
Whatever your corporate culture, address the reader directly. “You”, not “the ideal candidate”. This is a good way of involving the reader, as if he/she were already part of the team.
4) Focus on your strengths
A candidate is undoubtedly hesitating between several job offers. Your priority? Stand out from the crowd.
Yes, the salary is important, but highlight other benefits too. Like training opportunities, flexible working hours, a stimulating work environment or a great team.
A ping-pong table is no guarantee of a great atmosphere, and candidates know it. The ideal? Give your employees a voice, and ask them to explain why they consider you to be an excellent employer.
A convincing job offer: 4 things to avoid
Here’s what NOT to do.
1) Avoid vague terms, jargon and ready-made formulas
There’s nothing more boring than a hollow-sounding text: vague words, little real content. Yet companies sometimes imagine that they have to use lots of “impressive” words to sound professional.
Terms like “synergy”, “disruptive innovations” or “paradigm shift” sound impressive, but they don’t say much about the actual work the candidate will be expected to do. Keep it clear, concrete and understandable. What will a new recruit’s working week actually look like?
2) No endless list of requirements
Be realistic. Sure, you need help with all sorts of things, but some job offers seem to combine the work of three full-time people.
These endless lists of requirements are a dissuasive force. Concentrate on the essential qualities and accept that some things will have to be learned on the job.
This will help you avoid pitfalls such as the “confidence gap”: women only apply when they meet 100% of the requirements, whereas men apply as soon as they have 60% of the required skills. As a result, you run the risk of missing out on candidates who could very well be right for the job.
The best thing to do is to explicitly differentiate between skills that are an asset, but not essential. Encourage candidates to apply if they are enthusiastic about the job description, even if they don’t tick all the boxes. And consider – as many companies do today – recruiting on the basis of personality rather than skills and qualifications.
3) Don’t make empty promises
Recruiting takes time, energy and money. Logically, your aim is for these people to stay with you for a long time.
So define your expectations clearly to avoid the new job turning into a big disappointment for the new recruit
For example, don’t say the job is challenging if it’s essentially routine. Be honest about what the job entails. Authenticity always wins.
4) Don’t forget to check for mistakes
Even if you don’t pay too much attention to spelling yourself, a job ad riddled with mistakes makes an unprofessional impression.
Did you know that your brain often doesn’t notice your mistakes when you proofread your own text? So it’s best to have someone else proofread your text before you publish it.
Good luck!
Texte : Linde Jacobs
