A Guide to Attracting Talent: 5 Reasons to Advertise Job Vacancies Online

5 Reasons to Advertise Job Vacancies Online

Research suggests that 90% of jobseekers are now turning to the internet for their next role, and with the introduction of mobile apps by a number of job boards, this doesn’t look set to change anytime soon. As employers we should be embracing online recruitment and the benefits it can offer. With the internet constantly evolving and online recruitment advertising developing so quickly, have you kept up?

With over 1100 job sites in the UK as well as traditional methods such as print advertising and recruitment agencies, knowing where to start can be a minefield.

Why you should be advertising online…

At JVP we guide and support employers on a daily basis who have never advertised job vacancies online so if you’ve never tried it before here are five reasons why you should:

Cost

In comparison to print advertising and recruitment agencies, online advertising will reduce your direct costs. It will also prove more effective than ‘free’ methods in relation to indirect costs such as your valuable time. It’s often possible to negotiate good rates with job boards depending on your planned volume requirements, and the cost of packages can usually be spread over the year or paid in a lump sum.

A huge bonus with online recruitment advertising is that you usually pay per ad, not per person you hire, which is a real cost saving benefit if you have multiple vacancies for the same type of role.

Control

Keeping direct control over your recruitment process will enable you to gain better insights into the available talent pool. By advertising online you will have access to all of your applications, not just the few an agency feel ‘fit the role best’. From one advert you may even discover talent suitable for additional vacancies without incurring extra costs. You can even control the application method: downloadable application forms, online application forms, email covering letters and CVs, the decision is yours!

Exposure

With 89.8% of the UK population being internet users and 90% of jobseekers now looking online it seems the obvious place to promote your vacancies. People are accessing the internet more than ever: most of us carry it in the palm of our hand. Advertising online in the right places not only offers exposure for your vacancies but also promotes your company brand.

Your advert is posted on up to 200 leading, specialist and regional job sites.

Speed

Depending on the job board(s) you decide to use (and the level of your IT skills), getting your vacancy advertised online is usually a quick process once you have the details of your advert defined. The pre written forms are relatively straightforward to complete and with practice can be done in a matter of minutes. Once your advert is live, due to the nature of online technology, applications can start coming through within just a few hours.

Measurable

You can measure the success of campaigns easily and effectively. You get to see the source of applications, how many people viewed the advert compared to how many people applied for the role etc. This is all useful information for reviewing previous and planning future campaigns.

So what to expect…

Although we fully appreciate the benefits of advertising jobs online, it seems only fair to warn you of some of the challenges when you do finally take that step. Here are a few things you will need to bear in mind…

Where to start

This is the hardest part! With over 1100 UK job sites to choose from, deciding where to advertise for the best results can be a real minefield. There are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself here.

• Do you choose one site and if so which one?
• Do you choose the specialist site with a smaller reach or the generic site that reaches thousands?
• Do you use multiple sites to maximise vacancy exposure?
• How much will it cost?
• How much time will it take to upload the adverts on each site?

Then once you have chosen your job board(s), the one that promises great exposure, applications galore and at a great price, consider this… has everybody heard of that site? Is it the most likely place your ideal candidate will look? Bear in mind 43% of jobseekers only use one job board. Suddenly you’re back at square one!

SEO, Keyword Searches & Coding Confusion

You may or may not be familiar with the terms SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and keyword searches or even understand what coding means, but these are things you’ll need to consider. Job boards work in a way that allows jobseekers to specifically search for roles depending on factors like job title, location, salary, type of role and keywords to name a few. So you need to ensure your advert is optimised and coded onto the job boards correctly, otherwise your advert could sit lost amongst the other 936,596 jobs advertised online each month on average. If you have a marketing team we suggest buying them some cookies and asking for some advice here, or contact JVP for help of course!

More applications

Depending on the job role and other factors you could receive a lot of applications. You need to be prepared for this as you may find your already full inbox is now bursting at the seams. There are ways to manage this successfully through online software, although it can be expensive to implement and may require a monthly/annual license. The ease of applying for work online also means there is increased risk that you’ll come across more ‘chancers’ – those who apply regardless of whether or not they meet the criteria. Keep your advert well written and you should be able to minimise this; however stopping it altogether is almost impossible.

This may seem like a lot of work to attract talent, but is there anything better than finding the right person who fits the role and organisation perfectly?

If you’re keen to implement a comprehensive online recruitment strategy but are concerned about the time and cost investment required, JVP can help – ask us how!