I was scrolling through job ads on LinkedIn the other day.
No, I’m not “looking for a new role”. Perfectly happy where I am, thank you!
Instead, I was checking out an advert one of our clients put up, to advertise their new position of mechanic.
And my word it was dull.
Chockfull of jargon, it droned on, not about the position and the opportunity, but about the golf club itself.
How long they’ve been around, the accolades they’ve won, their plans for the future, all without mentioning how the role fitted into those future plans.
And it wasn’t just mundane and entirely introspective, it was also just a bit weird.
Here’s a small excerpt:
“The recent pandemic has also highlighted the need to maintain a sustainable fleet of equipment, which has resulted in the position of Mechanic becoming available.”
First off, I’m not sure the pandemic can still be classed as “recent”.
Second, the clumsy phrasing seems to suggest that the pandemic was the reason for needing to hire someone – was the previous mechanic an unfortunate Covid victim, and if so, is it appropriate or necessary to mention this in the job ad?!
They also reference their maintenance suite, with its vast array of tools and equipment, which surely is a given, if – you know – you’re expecting a mechanic to actually be able to do their job.
The ad carries on in much the same vein – plenty of detail about the mowers and machinery they have, nothing about the experience required to maintain them properly.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, there’s zero mention of salary, hours, working times, holiday, or any other benefits.
Ultimately, there’s nothing to grab a potential candidate and make them think, “Oh, that’s interesting”, and that’s precisely the role of your job ad.
Remember, right now, it’s an employee’s market – you’ve got to work harder for every application, every CV, every interview.
Doing the bare minimum, talking about yourself till your blue in the face and neglecting to mention anything that’s in it for them is a great way to reduce your applications and your chances of hiring the right person.
