Benchmark Business Group

Make Sure To Sell In Your Employment Ads

March 3, 2020

When hiring, it’s a well-known fact that you don’t want to sell a position to a candidate during the interview process. During the interview you want the candidate to do most of the talking, while you listen, so you can qualify them.

Selling the position comes before you interview a candidate. Recruiting for a position is very similar to lead generation. You have a product (the opportunity of a job) and a brand (your company) that you want to sell.

In order to attract the best candidate, you must stand out from the competition. You must be able to describe the opportunity in a way that your ideal candidate sees this as an opportunity they can’t pass up! You want to answer the unasked questions, “Why apply for this job?” and “Why work for this company?”

It’s about attracting the best candidate. You might just be thinking about your ad (which is definitely a part of the recruiting process), but this also applies to the job title, what you say when asking people if they know anyone who might fit, any emails you send out to possible candidates, and what you put out on social media or your website.

It’s the position, and messaging around the position, that will attract the best of the best, especially when the job market is competitive. As you look over the messaging for a position, consider the following tips:

  • Write the ad from your ideal candidate's point of view. Consider why they are looking for a new position and how your opportunity fills the need. The easy answer is money, but for the most part money is not what makes people look for a new position. It could be they need flexible hours. Or maybe they’re looking for a challenge. Make a list of what your ideal candidate is likely to be seeking and make sure your messaging speaks to it.
     
  • Don’t sound like everyone else. Look at all the other job ads that they could be applying for and ask, “How do we compare?” and “Would a candidate read this and see what we bring to the table?" Be yourself, but don’t be afraid to put the spotlight on what you do best!
     
  • Address any preconceived notions that might stop the best candidate from applying. The position job title, the industry, or even the requested amount of experience may stop the best candidate from thinking the opportunity might be a fit for them. Consider something like, “You may never have thought a job in the financial services industry would be for you, but if you have a big heart and like to help others, you’ll love what we do here.” Your goal is to get them wanting to know more.

In the end, it helps to remember that recruiting is lead generation. You can - and should - filter candidates (leads) as they apply for the position. But don’t filter too soon, you could be missing out on the best candidate. However, do remember, that once they’ve applied and you are interviewing them for the position, it’s time to stop selling the position and focus on selecting a candidate that is the best fit!

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