Writing a recruitment advert can be daunting for hiring managers.
Some will turn to previous examples and overtype; some will turn to Google for examples from other organisations and ‘borrow' text from those and some will turn to their communications team for guidance and in fact may even ask for help – these are my kind of hiring managers.
We need to remember that a recruitment advert is communications. A recruitment advert says as much about your organisation as your website, your social feed or that article from your chief executive. A recruitment advert should embody your employee brand. Considering all of this, why shouldn't your communications team get involved in creating your recruitment adverts? Who knows how to ‘sell' your organisation better than your communications team?
We all know recruiting into local Government is difficult at the moment which is why we need to push the many reasons the public sector is a great place to build your career. We shape and contribute to communities, we can make a real difference to the lives of our residents and, in smaller authorities such as Elmbridge, your commitment to community and residents will get you noticed, as well as providing opportunities for you contribute beyond your day-to-day.
How do we say all of that in a recruitment advert? Often you may read job ads that don't even try to sell themselves, it's all about the ‘candidate' instead. That mythical person who wants to move roles and has just been waiting for your recruitment advert to appear.
For years I have been removing the term ‘candidate' from our recruitment adverts as I explain that we have to sell ourselves and the role; a person has to visualise themselves in the job, in our organisation and we have to do all we can to persuade them.
Considering all of this, I offer a few practical tips below:
- Use ‘you' not ‘the candidate'. Speak to people like people. Write ‘you will experience…', ‘you will have…', ‘you will enjoy…' rather than ‘The candidate will…' or ‘The candidate is expected...' – who wants to work at that place??!
- I like to start with questions to help potential employees place themselves within the advert. Such as, ‘can you offer a smile and a cheery attitude to our customers as you help make them a hot meal? Would you like to spend time with a group of dedicated and inspiring people? Can you work a few hours a week supporting older people in the community?'
- The tone should be opening and inviting. We are good people in local government. We are not a foreboding institution stuck in the past but a progressive organisation that wants to hear your ideas and that is offering you a place to shine.
- Sell yourselves and your council. We all do such great work in our communities, tell your story in your advert. Tell people about the new green space adding to the health and wellbeing of the local community. Tell them about how that affordable housing development changed the lives of the families who now have a home. Tell them how we really do make a difference.
- Don't be afraid to start with a blank sheet and get creative. You are promoting the culture and personality of your organisation and that doesn't always have to be serious and official. A recent LinkedIn post from Elmbridge informed the reader that our Green Spaces Manager Ian was retiring – can you be the new Ian G? we asked. In my view more appealing than ‘We are recruiting a Green Spaces Manager...'
The informal chat
The next step of course can be that informal chat with the hiring manager about the role…let's not fall at that hurdle. A few key messages for the hiring manager are essential if the momentum of the advert is to be upheld.
Remember you are a person speaking to another person. That person could be nervous, so put them at ease. You could be in the middle of a busy day, remember to breathe and smile (people can tell when you are smiling even over the phone) and talk through the positive aspects of the job and of the organisation. Remember why you joined and help the potential employee to feel that excitement – after all you were that ‘candidate' once.
Good luck!
Catherine Malloy is Communications Manager at Elmbridge BC
