Writing a Creative Job Posting: 8 Ways to Land the Perfect Candidate
Job seekers tend to get the bulk of attention from bloggers and the media, which makes sense considering the fact that we've all been one at some point or another, so naturally there are plenty of people looking to offer advice in some form or another. But what about those on the other side? You know, the ones actually doing the hiring. The creative job market is a two-sided affair, and just as there are plenty of do's and don'ts for the job seeker, there are easily avoidable mistakes that many companies make when embarking on a talent search.
The search process, as anyone who's completed one can attest, is a huge pile of work. Not only do multiple interviews need to be prepared for and conducted, but countless portfolios need reviewing, travel and scheduling logistics must be arranged, references need checking...and that's all after the initial job description has been formulated and publicized. Like many labor-intensive endeavors in the creative world, though, much of a hiring's ultimate success depends on the earliest steps. A job that's well-defined is easier to fill, and a job posting (if that's how you choose to publicize) that's clear and compelling can raise your quotient of good candidates dramatically.
Coroflot being a job-listing website, we're inclined to focus on the posting step. We've seen enough of them over the past few years to have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't. Whether you're getting ready to look for your next creative wunderkind, procrastinating about starting the process because it's too daunting, or simply wondering why you keep getting applications from the wrong people, here are 8 ways to snag the right person for the job...
1. Look legitimate.
You'd think this would be a no brainer, but how many times have you come across job postings that reek of unprofessionalism? Formatting, spelling, and grammar all stand out, even by creative professionals. Chances are, if you receive a resume littered with typos and grammatical errors, you probably toss it immediately. Job seekers are just as likely to move on to the next job posting if yours doesn't look clean and professional. There are plenty of poorly run, hell-hole places to work in the world, and some of them post right next to companies like Apple and Pentagram. Job seekers have gotten good at paying attention to the hallmarks of a serious, professional employer, so spend an extra couple of hours making sure your ad has them.
2. Avoid marketing speak.
We're familiar with marketing lingo - we read it every day, and some of us write it - so you're generally better off playing it straight. Admittedly, a posting from academia, government, or a large multinational corporation is going to come off a standardized template (here's an example), then get edited by committee to within an inch of its life. Applicants understand that and accept it, albeit grudgingly. For a smaller company or an agency, though, something more direct and conversational is usually expected, both when describing the company and soliciting the applicant.
Long lists of non-specific company characteristics (dynamic, insightful, engaged, consumer-driven, etc.), or overused applicant characteristics (hard-working, self-starter, team-player, etc.) are generally ineffective. Not that these characteristics aren't important - because they are - but if you want to target the right job-seekers, you need to pick the few things you're really looking for and describe them, using examples if possible: if your position requires 60-hour weeks and the generation of 20 concepts a day, say that, not "hard-working and prolific."
3. Remember who you're talking to.
You're looking for creative professionals, so be creative. Hiring an illustrator is different from hiring an accountant, and showing you know this can go a long way toward impressing the most desirable applicants. Job ad copy, therefore, need not be the tinder-dry, lukewarm doublespeak seen in other parts of the professional world. Remember, many creative professionals got into the field because they're specifically escaping that kind of corporate culture, so there's nothing wrong with expressing a little individuality in your ad.
4. Be specific, not just about what skills you need, but what kind of person you are looking for.
Much as we might try to identify a creative "type," there is enormous variation in work expectations and approaches among designers. Some of us love being on a team while others prefer to look through a brief and then hole up and work alone. Some of us are impassioned workaholics who live for the adrenaline rush of an all-nighter or two every month; others will burn out rapidly without set hours and generous vacations. If you have a good idea as to what your ideal candidate is going to be like - not just what they'll be able to do - make sure you articulate that and include it in your ad.
5. Be flexible.
Teaching someone a new software package is much faster and easier than teaching them to lead a project team, or come up with innovative concepts, or perform well under a deadline. Too often, a job listing takes the form of a laundry list of required technical skills. While it's true that some jobs are so dependent on expertise with a particular tool that it's non-negotiable, long term success is often decided by more nebulous qualifications like enthusiasm, thought process and learning ability.
6. Use humor sparingly and carefully, if at all.
This one could just as easily say 'use common sense'. Senses of humor vary widely, so not only is it easy to get a joke wrong and come across as lame, it's even easier to get it wrong and upset a humorless potential applicant, or even worse, offend them to the point where they feel the need to post on social media about it.
We've all had a face palm moment when some company makes the news for including something like "Must be good-looking" in their job posting only to be met with accusations of discriminatory hiring practices and a whole lot of bad press. Ultimately, if you're not completely confident that any humor you're going for isn't going to offend someone or at least get a chuckle, then avoid it all together.
7. Put the right info in the right place.
You'll be sorting through hundreds of applicants, but many of your best applicants will be sorting too, through dozens or hundreds of job postings. The typical job-seeker's approach to reading a posting goes something like this:
A. Glance at job title, company name, and location. These three things almost always form the first criterion for a job seeker. Others have a clear idea of their next job title, or a desire to work for a recognizable firm, so if this information is not clear that's the last they'll see of your posting.
B. Quickly scan for years of experience required. There's clearly no point in applying for a job that requires 6+ years of experience if you're fresh out of college.
C. Quickly scan for required qualifications. An applicant who prides herself on sketching ability, for example, will seek out jobs that ask for that, and someone who doesn't know Photoshop will probably avoid jobs that require it (so be careful about what requirements you identify, and see number 5 above).
Once the above tests have been met, your potential new hire may actually start reading the ad, skimming first, then delving into your carefully wrought prose. The implication is clear: a successful ad makes these key pieces of information really easy to find. Bullet points are good for this, provided you don't use dozens of them. Picking the right job title is crucial too: "Senior Designer" or "Technologist" could mean anything, so be more specific than that; also avoid long, hyper-wonky job titles that are only meaningful to your department manager.
8. Be specific and realistic about the application procedure.
One of the single biggest gripes you'll often hear from job seekers is how variable and opaque employer's expectations are for application content. The fantasy of the One Perfect Applicant crafting the perfect submission for the One Perfect Job is just that, a fantasy. In reality, even the pickiest seekers often send off a dozen or more applications in a round of job-hunting, and it's unrealistic to have them craft a completely new package every time. For the majority of portfolio-toting designers these days, the PDF and/or online portfolio is standard, and most job posters recognize this, thankfully. What they often fail to do is make this expectation clear and easy to find. Besides the above-mentioned job title, location, and qualifications, application requirements are probably the most important bits of information in the ad, so make sure you save yourself trouble by highlighting exactly what you need.
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