Recruitment advertisements, also known as recruitment ads and job ads, are any business communication created by an employer or a recruiter to inform the public of a current or future job opening and attract suitable candidates to apply for the position.
A recruitment advertisement may be the first impression many people will get of a company and as such it will play an important role in determining the interest in the vacancy being advertised.
Purpose of Recruitment Ads
The recruitment advertisement is only one part of a broader recruitment process aiming at identifying qualified workers and making them interested in the position so they submit their job application. The ad should provide precise job requirements to prevent unqualified candidates from applying thus saving the employer’s time by interviewing only appropriate candidates.
Another purpose of the recruitment ad should be to promote the company as a growing organization employing quality staff. This will pique the interest of qualified potential candidates to apply for future vacancies in the same company.
Content of a Job Ad
The job ads typically have the following elements:
job title
workplace location
paragraph describing the company (working environment and the opportunities)
work position description (duties and responsibilities)
minimum qualifications to apply
sometimes it contains the remuneration package and other benefits, but not always
call to action and information about the application process (for example, where the candidate should send their CV, or if there is any, where to obtain a standardized job application form)
It is not unusual for the recruitment ad to contain, not only information for the job position but also PR and other initiatives designed to create interest in future employees for the company (such as, participation in job fairs, university campus visits or article about the company that doubles as advertising – so-called “adverticle“).
Creation
Recruitment ads are usually created:
Internally, by the employees in the human resources department, or
Externally, by the recruitment agent working in a recruitment agency that has been tasked with filling the vacant position.
In both cases, the manager/s of the department that needs a new staff member should be consulted before finalizing and publishing the recruitment ad.
Additionally, when posting jobs, the branding principles of the employer should be always taken into consideration as the recruitment communication is a part of the overall communication strategy of any company.
