Tips for writing an effective advertisement

Keep it specific!

Keep job titles relevant to the position, but try to avoid overly-technical titles. You need to include words Job Seekers will use when searching on the internet.

For example, the job title Scientist / Technician is too broad and will attract irrelevant Job Seekers. On the other hand, Scientist / Technician (Immunology / Serology) will attract Job Seekers relevant to the pathology industry.

An advertisement for a Phlebotomist could also be ineffective as Job Seekers may search under the less technical title Pathology Specimen Collector. Accordingly, a more effective job title would be Pathology Specimen Collector (Phlebotomist).

Include a salary!

A survey conducted by LinkMe.com.au found 85 per cent of job seekers want to see an advertised salary before applying for the job and 75 per cent of people were more likely to apply for a job when the salary is advertised. If you don’t want to include a specific salary you may choose to advertise a negotiable figure, for example, “…an attractive remuneration package circa $45,000- $55,000, depending on qualifications and experience”.

Sell your position!

The more you sell your position, the more Job Seekers will apply; giving you greater choice. Popular selling points include opportunities for advancement, training opportunities, salary benefits, leave benefits, company social events, family-friendly atmosphere, registered days off and job variety.

Make your ad a ‘one stop shop’!

The most successful ads have most, if not all, details about the job included AND instructions on how to apply on the same page. Avoid sending people to another page to apply for the position as you risk loosing them. If you have to re-direct people to a position description or a website, include the link within your ad so it can be viewed with one click.