If you’re looking for general best practices and techniques for writing great job descriptions, then this blog post is unfortunately not for you. Try this one, or perhaps this one.
But, if you're sitting on a LinkedIn Job Post that isn't getting much traction or getting ready to write your next one, read on. The four tips below are proven methods for boosting your job post on LinkedIn that many recruiters don't know about.
Taking the steps below will help you improve the reach and quality of your post so you can a get your role in front of the right candidates.
1. Cast a wider net by selecting up to 3 functions and industries per job post
The function and industry fields on a LinkedIn Job Post are designed to indicate the function and industry for which you’re hiring. But most likely, you’re open to hiring talent from more than one function and industry.
For example, let’s say you’re looking to hire a Marketing Manager: do you only want to review applicants who are currently working in a Marketing function? What about someone with strategy experience or in a creative role?
By expanding the number of job functions you select when crafting your Job Post (3 max), you’ll greatly expand the number of professionals your post will be targeted to and therefore increase the odds of reaching your next great hire.
The same logic applies to company industry. Your company may be in the Internet industry, but you could very well also sell computer software to customers in a third industry altogether. I imagine you’d want to consider applicants with experience in all three areas.
2. Select your job title from the drop-down list to improve targeting
Let’s say you throw research to the wind and decide to advertise your Office Manager position as an “Office Ninja” opening. The trouble is, LinkedIn’s powerful job recommendation engine doesn’t share your sense of humor and may end up recommending your Office Ninja position to actual Ninjas on LinkedIn. Probably not the best-suited match.
In addition to the importance of writing straight-forward job titles to help candidates understand the role, it’s also essential for accurate targeting on LinkedIn. A great rule of thumb to follow: always select your job title from LinkedIn’s drop-down menu.
3. Bold and bullet your job descriptions to help candidates quickly glean the most compelling parts of your role
A majority of job seekers are using mobile devices and apps like LinkedIn Jobs to discover and apply for jobs today. And this means an entirely new approach to writing job descriptions. Because job seekers are discovering your LinkedIn Job Post on their mobile devices, descriptions have to be shorter, better formatted, and more skim-friendly. Enter two time-tested formatting styles: bold words and bullet points.
Every job description you post on LinkedIn (or any site, really) should use bold words and bullet points to help readers understand your position’s selling points as quickly as possible. Just be careful not to go overboard.
4. After 14 days, ‘renew’ your job post to keep it fresh and at the top of search result
It’s tough to motivate candidates to apply to a job that says it was posted a month ago. Maybe because the job has had more time to attract competition, or maybe because it makes the job look unpopular. We can help.
After your job post has been live and collecting applicants for at least 14 days on LinkedIn, you may consider hitting “renew” from your Job Post management tab so the post appears recently posted and at the top of candidates’ search results.
And there you have it! A few simple yet sure-fire ways to ensure your LinkedIn Job Posts are working for you.
For our staffing recruiters who are LinkedIn pros, discover new ways to get the most out of LinkedIn with The Staffing Recruiter’s Toolbox.
Topics: Job descriptions
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