Get the right hook to snatch the best applicant.
Every step of the hiring process needs to be aimed at hooking the type of great performers that you want working in your business. That process starts with writing a job advertisement that will attract the best and there is a skill to doing this that many small business owners miss.
Some job posting sites may restrict you in the format that you have to use for your ad, but following is a job advertisement example format that we have successfully used to hire staff in the past – great performers that are still with us!
Before we start, a general point about knowing your target market, which frames the following step-by-step process we have laid out. Who exactly are you trying to attract? Only by knowing this can you start writing an effective advertisement.
Headline
Write an eye-catching headline that says in a few words what you are looking for.
Summary
Summarise the job in question and say clearly and directly what’s needed to be successful in the position.
Tell The Story
Here is where you need to be a bit creative and use your copywriting skills. You need to climb inside the mind of the type of applicant you are after and think about what they would want to read; wherever the job you are offering meets what they will want to read then push the point.
For example a video maker may want to know that their videos will be seen by many viewers and a writer wants to know that his words will be read by many… can you offer this opportunity? If so, sell the opportunity to the applicant!
Present the Problem And Solution And Make It Real!
Present the problem to which the applicant can be the solution e.g. at present this is happening, so I need someone to come on board who will….this will make you and the job seem more real and also creates an urgency to the process. You can even use video or images if that helps to make you, your business and the job seem more real.
Show Them How To Succeed In The Role
Explain what the successful applicant will be able to do and how that will solve your problem.
Introduce Your Culture And Team
Include a few details about your company – the type of culture you are building and a bit about some of the other team members already with you, if space permits.
Present Clearly The Benefits of What You Are Offering
Go over all the potential benefits of the position to the successful applicant – not just salary but anything else you are offering: training, help with other enterprises, becoming part of the “family”, bonuses etc.
What They Need to Do Next
Make the next step clear. Don’t leave the applicant “hanging”. Tell them step-by-step what you need from them.
Reiterate!
Before closing you may want to reiterate some key points. For instance, if you are looking for a long-term staff member then make it clear that you are not after remote workers who just want to make a quick buck.
Hiring the best staff is a long process and it’s not easy…but it is time well spent. Start with a great job advertisement and the rest can follow. Learn about the rest of the process through the Outsource Profit Machine workshop by simply clicking here.