You’re a hiring manager, and you’ve interviewed tons of people, but not a single one has been the right fit. Maybe none of the applications have fit the bill to begin with – or maybe you’ve received barely any applications at all. It happens – the hiring process can be just as hard for employers as it is for potential employees.

That being said, according to Style Nine to Five Founder, Christie Lohr, attracting great candidates begins with having a great job posting. “The right job posting makes a huge difference in the caliber of candidates companies can find. Before you advertise a job, consider if your posting might need a makeover,” suggests Christie.

1. Detail the Daily Schedule

“Does your job posting paint a picture of what a day on the job is like?” asks Christie. This is important to potential employees, because they’d like to know what exactly they’re getting themselves into. If your job posting is too vague, people will pass on it since there’s no point in putting effort into an application if they aren’t sure what the job entails, or, to some jobseekers, it may even look suspicious.

A great way to add some life to your job posting is to explain what a day in the life in the role looks like. Try and be as detailed and specific as possible – it’s okay if it gets a little long, too, because job seekers would like to know exactly what they’re signing up for. If the daily schedule of this position varies from day to day, say so and at least nail down the core responsibilities and some possibilities of what to expect.

2. Share Company Values

Christie’s next question to consider: “Does your job posting highlight the company’s values?”

Now more than ever, job seekers want to feel like the company they work for aligns with their personal values. As values become increasingly more important, it’s key for companies to be as transparent as they can with their values. You might have your values on your company’s website, but it’s still important to put them on every job posting as well – a potential employee might not look for any further information if your posting seems devoid of values.

3. Be Specific

Christie recommends adding as many specific details as you can. “Being as thorough as possible means that you’re not wasting anyone’s time, (including the yours as the hiring manager!) especially those who aren’t sure exactly what they’re applying for,” says Christie. “The more detail you can provide, the greater your chances are of finding qualified candidates.”

But what specifics should you be adding? “Does it clearly lay out the salary, hours, and location?” asks Christie. These details of the job could change everything for certain employees – maybe people ignored the job posting because they don’t know if it’s close enough for them to commute to, or they believe you’re hiding the salary. Any other must-knows you can think of should be added to the posting.

4. Share the Benefits

A great way to get more applicants is to make space in your job posting to show off the benefits of working at your company. Do you offer flexible hours, health benefits, anything else of the sort? What are your vacation hours like? Do you offer hybrid or remote work?

Candidates want to know that employees are valued at your company, so sharing the benefits in your job posting are key. Potential employees are more likely to apply to the position if they see benefits that would be helpful towards them or accommodating to their lifestyle. For instance, if you don’t include that you offer remote or hybrid work, potential employees might pass up because they have families they’d like to stay with, classes to attend, or otherwise busy and unpredictable lifestyles, and they assume that remote or hybrid isn’t an option at your company. So, keep candidates aware of the benefits you have to offer!

Creating the perfect job posting is how you’ll land the perfect employees. Be as transparent and specific as possible about what your job entails and share reasons why working there should appeal to candidates. Re-evaluate what your posting is missing, update it, and watch qualified applications come pouring in!

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Emily Morrison is a media professional with passions for writing, film and popular culture.

Feature Image: Adobe Stock