Writing Job Adverts: The Importance Of Keywords
The dramatic shift in candidate search methods over the last decade from print-based advertising to advertising online has also seen a shift in how good job adverts are written. Where recruiters would once simply give a catchy headline and a small role description, they must now think strategically about the placement of key terms and industry buzzwords in order to maximise the visibility of their advert on online job boards.
The placement of keywords in your job advert is one of the most important factors that will determine whether your ad is seen by the most valuable candidates.
Job Adverts: The Search Field
When posting a job advert online there are usually a number of fields you must fill out, including your business details, the job advert headline, the job advert body text, and various checkboxes such as location, job category, salary range and so on.
When writing your job advert, it is important to find out which fields will be scanned when a candidate conducts a keyword search. In some cases, job boards will only include the 'job title' field in the search function, meaning that if your advert title was 'Golden Job Opportunity', your opportunities for finding the perfect project manager will be far from golden. To avoid this, it is recommended you include the specific role title in the job title field, as well as using other keywords in the body text.
Online Job Adverts: What Keywords To Use
In online job adverts, use keywords that relate to the prospective candidate's skills (both technical and soft skills), experience and qualifications, as well as the duties of the role and other key industry terms. These are all possible categories a jobseeker may cover when conducting a keyword search. For example, a person seeking a mechanical engineering role might enter the search terms:
- Mechanical engineer
- CAD software
- Project management
If this is the kind of person you're seeking, it is essential that you cover all keyword categories in the body text of your job advert. It has the effect of broadening your pool of suitable potential candidates, as well as narrowing it down to only the best ones.
If you are targeting an international pool of candidates, find out whether the title for the job in your country is the same as for elsewhere. For example, a 'plant operator' can also be called a 'plant manager' in other parts of the world. In these cases, ensure you include both terms within the searchable text field.
There is usually the opportunity, when posting your advert, to indicate the employment category, industry, location and salary range. With all these details covered, you will give your company the greatest chance of attracting the most suitable and best-quality candidates to your role.
