Have you ever bought something you didn’t even need off the back of an ad?
I know I have. And I bet you have too, even if you don’t remember or don’t want to admit it to yourself.
That’s the power of advertising. When we make these types of decisions it’s not led by logic. It’s done purely on emotion.
And emotion is something that’s completely escaped job advertising. It worked 10+ years ago when there were more jobs than candidates. And it worked for one simple reason – scarcity of employment. Now that the market is flipped, more and more in-house teams as well as agency recruiters struggle to effectively engage candidates through advertising.
Yes, the market is tough. But if it was THAT tough, we’d be losing businesses. Read that again.
If you want to attract top talent directly with more ease, it’s important to understand what drives candidates and how to make that initial connection stronger. By applying advertising principles to job ads, you can create an emotional connection with your candidates. And THAT’S what drives them to apply.
We’ll go through:
- How buyer behaviour insights can transform job advertising and improve direct recruitment
- Key advertising principles that can attract more candidates and fill your roles in-house.
- The importance of candidate persona when putting together a job ad.
Let’s get started.
Understanding Buyer Behaviour in Recruitment
I bet you’ve never thought of it this way, but candidates are your buyers, and the job is your product.
People often make decisions based on emotions rather than pure logic. Research shows that 70% of emotional decision-making plays a role in the job search process. Candidates value experiences, relationships, and authenticity. They are drawn to job adverts that speak to their aspirations, desires, and values.
Statistics support this shift. According to LinkedIn, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying. A survey by Talent Board found that candidates who have a positive emotional experience with a company are 38% more likely to accept a job offer. These stats highlight the importance of creating an emotional connection through your job adverts if you want to attract more relevant talent directly.
By tapping into these emotional drivers, recruiters can create job ads that resonate on a deeper level. Instead of just listing qualifications and responsibilities, focus on how the role can fulfil their career goals, contribute to their personal growth, and align with their values.
This approach transforms dull job description-based ads into a persuasive pitch that aligns with what candidates are REALLY looking for in a job/company.
Key Principles for Job Advertising
To take your advert from ‘same, same’ to ‘different’, you absolutely must apply some of the core advertising principles. Here’s how you can use these principles to attract more candidates:
Intros and Headlines: Admittedly if you’re looking for a PA there isn’t much you can do about the title on the job boards, as that’s the title candidates will be searching for. You could dress it up a bit and more it more catchy, as long as the title is still present. However, your advert intro is just as important because if you don’t grab their attention then, you’re likely to lose it altogether. So, make your ad intro about THEM, not about you. Also when advertising through social channels be sure to use more impactful headlines that’ll grab attention to stop the scroll.
Value Propositions: Clearly communicate what’s in it for the candidate. Highlight benefits such as career growth, work-life balance, and company culture. More and more candidates, especially the new entrees Gen Z, value the balance and good leadership over the compensation.
Emotional Appeal: Use language that evokes emotion. Candidates want to feel excited about the opportunity. They want to FEEL through the advert that they’re going to be more than just a number, that they’re going to be a part of something bigger. After all, most candidates are simply people who want to belong and feel accepted and understood. Use this to your advantage, but never in a manipulative or misleading way.
Authenticity: Be genuine in your communication. Candidates can sense insincerity from a mile away. Share real stories and testimonials from current employees to build trust and authenticity. Yes, you read that right, adding testimonials or quotes from current employees WILL absolutely help you attract more candidates. When was the last time you bought a product without reading reviews first? My point exactly.
And generally, don’t be afraid to try something new and try different versions of the ad, to see which performs better.
By integrating these advertising principles, your job ads will not only stand out from the rest (and let’s be honest, most job ads sound the same *yawn*) but also attract candidates who are genuinely excited about the opportunity. This approach ensures that you’re not just filling a position but bringing on board individuals who are a perfect fit for your company’s culture and values.
Candidate Personas in Job Advertising
Understanding your ideal candidate is just as important as understanding your target market in advertising. This is where candidate personas come into play.
What Are Candidate Personas?
Candidate personas are semi-fictional representations of your ideal candidates based on data and research. They help you understand the motivations, challenges, and preferences of the people you want to attract.
The Importance of Candidate Personas
Targeted Messaging: By knowing your candidate persona, you can create messaging that speaks directly to their interests and needs. This makes your job ads more relevant and appealing.
Improved Engagement: Personalised communication leads to higher engagement. Candidates are more likely to respond to job ads that seem tailor-made for them.
Better Fit: When you attract candidates who closely match your persona, you’re more likely to find individuals who fit well within your company.
And every time you write an ad for a new role, you have to repeat this exercise. Because people at different stages in their lives and careers need different things. And to make your job ad as targeted as can be, you must take this into account.
How to Develop Candidate Personas
Research: Gather data from current employees, job applicants, and market research. Look at their demographics, career goals, values, and the challenges they face in their careers.
Interviews and Surveys: Conduct interviews and surveys with your current employees to understand why they joined your company and what they value most. It’s also important to understand why they were looking for a role in the first place.
Analyse Data: Use your findings to create detailed profiles of your ideal candidates. Include information such as their job titles, skills, career aspirations, and even what’s going on in their personal lives. Be creative.
Use all of this information to help you create an ad that resonates with the persona. This is why I always advocate against template job ads (I put my hands up, I used templated ads when in recruitment, but now I know better and I want you to know better too) – you must meet your candidates where they’re at – a grad persona will be completely different to a senior-hire persona.
TL;DR
Buyer Behaviour Insights: Understanding that candidates are driven by emotions helps create job ads that resonate on a deeper level and subsequently fill your roles faster and in-house.
Advertising Principles: Applying core principles like compelling headlines + intros, value propositions, and emotional appeal transforms your job ad from ‘same, same’ to ‘different’.
Candidate Personas: Developing and using candidate personas ensures that your job adverts are targeted, relevant, and attractive to the ideal candidates.
If we continue to advertise ‘job descriptions’ like we did when jobs outnumbered candidates, we can’t expect to attract top talent anymore and we will certainly continue to struggle to do it in-house. To stand out, job adverts need to focus on what truly matters to candidates. It’s not just about the job duties; it’s about management style, flexibility, culture, and the work environment. These are the factors that make candidates say “YES” to the job.
Next Steps:
Now review your current job adverts and apply these principles to create more effective job ads. Focus on understanding your candidates and what they truly value, and watch your direct recruitment improve.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you need any assistance with this.