There are a few ways we can aid the progression of the correct candidates through AoC Jobs and into relevant jobs at colleges.
Points raised by DFE that put off candidates:
- Wording in Adverts is too specific (Qualifications, Jargon, Academic Language)
- No communication with candidates during the recruitment process
- Asking for specific qualifications, no offer of training
- Part-time Jobs being sought out by candidates, more transparency with the level of 'part-time'
In today’s candidate-driven job market, your adverts are not only competing with other colleges in the FE sector but with schools, universities and the wider industry. Below we have given you some guidelines that will help ensure that your advert attracts the right candidates and will potentially boost applications to your roles.
Straightforward content is the key to success
You have about 8 seconds to catch the interest of the job seeker before they move on to another advert, so make sure your copy is clear and concise. With over 90% of all job searches done via a mobile device ensure job seekers can quickly scan your job advert copy to get what they want.
Here are the top tips for content writing:
- Job Seekers are Scanners NOT Readers
- Give them what they want… be Clear, Concise & Factual
- Use bullet points rather than paragraphs when at all possible
- Arrange your content with the most relevant information at the top
- Don’t make them work hard to find out more information - i.e. look at JD
- Grammar and Spell check your copy – Grammarly tool (FREE) is very helpful
- Format your copy to make it look good… But don’t overdo it!
If you take the analogy that the job is your product and the job seekers are your customers, you need to make a compelling case for why they should apply for the vacancy. Job seekers value their skills and experience very highly, and if you want them to apply for a job, you'll need to appeal to their wants and needs in the same way you would with a consumer.
Think about when you're shopping. Which are the products that catch your eye? What kind of products are your target candidate attracted to? What lessons can you learn from the advertising language they use and the way they are displayed?
Looking for a job is a full-time job in itself, so try and keep your job advert to around 800-1,200 words. Both adverts that are too long or short job adverts can be off-putting for candidates as there is either too much initial information or none to make an informed decision. After all, if they want to find out more information about the role, they can read the attached job description. However, you need to give the candidate enough information in the advert to decide to look at the job description.
The language you use in adverts can also help to make your advert more attractive to candidates. When you write your advert, try to 'we' and 'our' with 'you' and 'your'. As this will help the candidate to feel like the advert is tailored just for them and you need them in the position.
Take a look at our Job Advert Structure article for an example of how to best structure a vacancy advert.