Test Different Job Titles
Consider potential applicants. Your job requirements may either be over the top or appear to be targeting junior roles instead of more experienced ones.
“Sell” Your Company
Oftentimes it comes down to “selling your company” to the applicant in order to get them to apply. Putting information about your company’s culture, the benefits you offer and what sets your company apart at the beginning of the job post will get applicants more interested in the job itself.
Warm Up Your Tone
There are a few ways to increase the number of applications for open positions. One solid first step to take is to adjust the job posting to make it more appealing to your ideal potential applicants. Although the wording of the job posting may describe the work accurately, often these precise descriptions can sound stodgy and uninviting. Warming up the tone can make all the difference.
Start An Employee Referral Program
You can improve your number of applicants by starting an employee referral program.
Focus On Eye-Catching Language
Change the title. Draw in the applicant. “Position open for mass communications” probably won’t draw in as many people as, “This is your chance to deliver amazing stories to incredible people in a fast-paced environment. We are a young start-up experiencing massive growth with an exciting position available.”
Rethink Your Keywords
Reassess the job posting and conduct keyword research. Oftentimes, these platforms that allow you to post an open position are looking for keywords and tags that they can associate with a criterion. Once you’re able to make these simple adjustments, the platform algorithm should display the job post to more suitable candidates.
Make Your Application Process Quick And Easy
Applying for a job should take minimal effort. To make the application easier, start by removing any unnecessary extra steps, such as asking candidates to upload their resume and then manually fill out their job history. Research shows that conversion rates — from job seeker to applicant — increase by 365% when a job application takes five minutes or less to complete.
Shout From The Rooftops About Your Flexible Work Opportunities
More than ever, job seekers want roles that provide flexibility. It’s such a top priority that if an employer doesn’t offer flexible options, candidates will wait for one that does.
Keep Your Job Posts Brief
Shorter job posts (less than 300 words) tend to result in more applications than those that are medium length (301–600 words) or long (601+ words). In fact, shorter job posts receive 8.4% more applications per view than average. Considering that most candidates spend very little time scanning a post, you’ll have a much better shot if you keep it brief.
Include No More Than Six Requirements For Each Job
When you’re trimming job posts, consider starting with your list of “requirements.” Why? prioritize what’s important and aim for a small number of clear and concise goals. Or eliminate “requirements” altogether.
Be Sure Job Posts Mention Salary Range and Benefits
One of the main things people want to know when applying for a job is, “Can I afford to take the role?” That’s why it’s important to include a salary range and benefits in your job descriptions. Sharing salary ranges conveys your commitment to transparency and fair play.
Treat Job Posts Like Ads
Consider using e-commerce advertising tactics to optimize your spending on recruiting channels. Track the cost per application on both paid and unpaid recruiting channels and then compare them to see where you are getting the most bang for your buck. You can significantly increase applications without adding a penny to your budget.
Rethink The Way You Start Your Job Descriptions
Candidates are looking at nearly twice as many job postings per application as they were two years ago, which means you need your posts to stand out. You can catch their eye by fine-tuning your openings. Try focusing on the candidate (using “you” and “your”), highlighting how they’ll benefit from the role, and consider adding a touch of humour. Make it compelling enough that candidates will continue to read but brief enough that they can decide in seconds whether to apply.
Update Your Company’s Career Page
Most candidates will do their research before pursuing a role and one of the first places they’ll look is your company’s Career Page. To improve your page, be sure to include easily accessible information that candidates want to see, such as specific details about your culture, core values, and benefits and perks. Also include photos of employees and your workspace (if you have one), so candidates can envision working for you.
Keep It Real
Job seekers are looking for authenticity, so the more your job post sounds like your company, the better. It is found that if the tone of your post doesn’t match your culture, candidates are two to four times less likely to apply. In an industry that’s buttoned up and formal, for example, a casual job post may come across as unprofessional. In a creative industry, it may hit the perfect note.
Improve Candidate Experience By Asking For Feedback
When candidates have a bad experience during the recruiting/hiring process, they’ll talk to their friends and family about it — and according to a 2018 report, 35% will share about it publicly online. To improve your candidate experience, ask for candidate’s feedback at multiple touch points throughout the process. That way, you can correct any problems and nip bad reviews in the bud.
Promote Your Job Post On Mondays
This probably won’t come as a shock, but Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are the worst days to post your job. Viewing and application rates are highest on Mondays and gradually decline as the week goes on. More than half of all views (59%) and applications (57%) take place between Monday and Wednesday. So, catch candidates early in the week to get more people to apply.
Sources: Recruiter.com, 2022 and LinkedIn, 2021
