This is a three part series on how to create the perfect job posting. Subscribe to our RSS feed to make sure you don’t miss!

Earlier this week Vista Inet came under fire for their scathing reception job posting, where they included the following: “Please note that the Position requires filling in the responsibilities of a receptionist, so female candidates are preferred.”

I chuckled at the shocking scandal that was uncovered by a Business Insider journalist. Most of us HR and recruiting pros could tell hiring and workplace stories that are much more scandalous and for days. We know and deal with employee situations that would make your toes curl. Just look at some of our holiday HR horror stories.

We’ve encountered job posting discrimination in the media before. Most notable was job postings during the last recession circa 2010 where those who were unemployed need not apply.

Avoiding items related to the “Big Seven” — age, sex, religion, disability, genetic information, race/color, national origin, pregnancy, and in some states, sexual orientation — while crafting a job posting for an open position you are recruiting and hiring for, is an apparent recommendation. However, there are a number of other tactics and best practices that can raise and amplify your job advertising in addition to removing the Big Seven (or Eight) from your job offering.

How to Elevate & Amplify Your Job Posting

It’s important to remember above all that a  job posting is a marketing asset. The hiring and selection process starts here, and it offers the initial and most significant look into your job opportunity, the hiring procedure, and the business. Take note of the term “marketing asset.” A job description differs from a job posting. It’s designed to catch the candidate’s eye. It gives them information about the position with the intention that they will apply. During the job interview process, candidates learn more about the intricacies of the role and in greater detail. No novel is being written here. It’s a brief summary of duties intended to entice a candidate to apply for the position.

Today’s job advertising will be viewed fast and even skimmed, just like any marketing tool, especially one that is online. It should be between 300 and 500 words long, using bullet points and headings to make it easy to read. The emphasis of the job posting should, above all, be on attracting, connecting with, and persuading a highly focused tech applicant to apply for the relevant job opportunity.

There are currently 10.7 million job postings in the United States for all occupations. This number has increased 9.7 percent over the last year and 20.5 percent over the last two years. At present there are 945,000 technical job postings in the U.S. The competition level and numbers are only increasing. In fact according to Wanted Analytics, there are only 6 tech candidates per tech job posting in the U.S. as compared to 23 candidates per posting for the overall labor market. It’s easy to see that it’s a candidates market in tech, so it’s more important than ever to make sure you are doing the little things that make your job postings stand out to tech professionals.

In short job, postings are a marketing asset and given the increased number of job postings and the now 5 percent unemployment rate, your job posting needs to be designed to attract the right and most qualified candidates.

Do’s and Don’ts of the Perfect Job Posting

– Do make your job posting title as specific as possible. (Example: Lead Java Developer or icloud Java Server Engineer vs. Software Engineer)

– Don’t use company job titles like “Software Engineer II.” No one understands your corporate lingo. Plus, it doesn’t lead you to the right candidates who are searching for jobs specific to titles and categories.

– Don’t fill your job posting title with too many keywords. Focus on 2-5 keywords and combinations in your job postings. The more specific the better to attract the most qualified candidates audience. (Example: UI & J2EE Architect / Java Developer / Java Lead / Java Solution Architect)

– Don’t make your job responsibilities vague and left to candidate interpretation. You want the most qualified candidates to apply. A recruiter’s biggest complaint is they receive too many applications with a high percent of them not meeting the minimum qualifications.

– Do share information about the company culture as well as an expected salary range. Be open and upfront about the salary if not on the job posting but during the initial screening by providing a range. 

– Don’t forget to add interactive media like video, graphics or photos to make your job posting stand out from other listings. The competition is fierce. Using graphics, video and photos is a great way to set apart your job posting from the rest of the pack. Failing to include media is like not dressing up for an interview. Even if you are qualified for the role, it doesn’t leave that impression.

– Do remove discriminatory qualifications as mentioned above. Not only are making hiring decisions based on protected classes illegal like Vista Inet experiences, it generates bad press.

– Do use social media to share your job posting. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter Job Card Ads are a great way to engage a targeted candidate.

This is a three part series on how to create the perfect job posting. Subscribe to our RSS feed to make sure you don’t miss!