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5 Errores a evitar al redactar ofertas de trabajo

5 Mistakes to avoid when writing job offers

Job advertisements are key to attracting active candidates, that is, people who are looking for jobs.

If our offers draw special attention to people with dubious skills for a job, we have a problem. It is very likely that our job advertisements contain some mistake and consequently end up damaging our ability to attract good candidates.

In the article How to make your job offers attractive? we explain how to attract the best candidates with your job offer. Today, instead, we talk about the most common mistakes when writing job offers Take note!

1) Not asking for feedback

Before writing the offer, make sure you understand all the implications of the job. To do so, ask to:
  • People who perform tasks similar to those of the position you want to occupy.
  • People who recently took a similar job.
  • Employees who will have contact with the person to be hired
  • People outside the organisation with knowledge of the position (recruiters, selection managers of other companies, etc.)

All these individuals should contribute to any job description. They usually have information that the editor of the job offer does not know but which, however, is necessary to analyze the job well.

2) To describe ambiguous competences

Job seekers need to understand exactly what they need in order to be able to choose themselves according to the offer. Therefore, seek to remove ambiguity as far as possible.

Instead of just listing the skills you require, be more specific. Show how each competency is applied in the workplace. For example, instead of looking for a candidate “with good communication skills”, it explains in which situations the candidate should apply that competence.

Both applicants and the company itself benefit from job offers that leave no doubt.

3) Use intimidating and/or negative expressions

Phrases like “immediate incorporation” or “urgently needed” instill fear in the applicant. They are totally inadvisable They indicate that something has gone wrong and that one is acting in a hurry to remedy it. They give the impression, whether it is true or not, that the first person who passes will keep the post. This perception is disheartening, especially for the best aspirants.

In general, any expression with negative connotations resents your chances of hiring good candidates. Whenever you can, it’s best to avoid them.

4) Ask the candidate for an endless list of requirements

The apparent aim of this practice is to rule out unwanted employees. Unfortunately this approach does not help to obtain excellent candidates; quite the contrary.

Creating a sense of discouragement and making them feel unqualified – even those who really are – is not our purpose, is it? The results are infinitely better if we concentrate efforts on seducing the type of person we want.

A good solution to expose our requirements – without losing good candidates – is to differentiate mandatory conditions (must-have) from those that only give a competitive advantage to the candidate (nice to have).

5) To describe your ideal candidate

Most job writers overemphasize the competencies, experiences, and academic achievements that the recruiter should have. Unfortunately this approach is not the most appropriate to hire the best-performing candidate. In fact, it is not unusual for a person with less experience in a job to perform better than one with much more direct experience.

Therefore, it is better to focus on the ability to do the work. Turn “having” into “doing”. Top candidates want to feel challenged and understand how a position will impact their career. A boring list of requirements accomplishes none of that.
What makes your job offers attractive? Have you made any of these mistakes? Do you think there’s any other mistake we haven’t talked about here?

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