Are job-posting mistakes really that much of a problem? Even so, aren’t job candidates so badly in need of employment that they’ll respond anyway?

Job-posting mistakes can prove quite costly to a business. A poorly crafted job-posting could mean desired job-seekers simply don’t apply at all; even worse, you might land the wrong person for the job, which in the not-too-distant future may result in problems in the workplace and the eventual need to address the problems (and possibly start the whole job-posting process all over again).

Here’s a look at five common job-posting mistakes you should avoid:

  1. Neglecting the Basics
    All too often, employers post job openings, but neglect to include basic information, such as:
  • Job title
  • Job objectives
  • Description of functions, scope, and responsibilities
  • Specific tasks that must be performed
  • Skills and qualifications required (education, experience, licensing, etc.)
  • Contact information, preferably an email address for a “real” person, not a generic address

Regarding job title, a common mistake is dreaming up a lofty title in an effort to draw more interest. Generally speaking, this only leads to applicant confusion, potentially attracting the wrong type of candidate. Instead of being “creative,” it’s best to use a conventional title and description that is consistent with other job titles and is most likely to appear in an online search.

According to HR specialist Katie Loehrke, research from the job search firm TheLadders shows that “on average, it takes a job seeker 49.7 seconds to determine whether or not a job posting is a good fit.” As a result, a candidate “who doesn’t find the information he or she needs is not going to spend much more time searching for the details.”


Click here to read the rest


Creating Job Descriptions that Really Work