Writing Employment Ads - Times Are A Changing

A friend of mine recently E-mailed me a quirky advertisement that ran in her local newspaper. It featured two photographs – one of a cat, and the other of a better than average looking young man. The caption above both photos read “For Sale – Either, Or” and description below each snapshot said: Cat - male, 6 months old, orange tabby, declawed, housebroken. Husband - good job, 33 years old, pleasant smile, nice personality, does not like cats.
Although I’ll probably never know if the woman succeeded in selling her cat - or husband, as the case may be – she was, however, very successful with her advertising campaign. How? She created an effective advertisement that drew attention to her product and made a lasting impression.

How often do you read each individual classified ad in the help wanted section? Are you more apt to sift through the majority of ads and search for key words, photos, logos or phrases? If you picked up the newspaper edition on the day this particular “Husband or Cat” ad ran, would its unusual content drawn in your curiosity, and compel you to read more about it? Would you be more apt to respond to this ad simply because it was creative, unique, interesting, and humorous? If you answered, “Yes!” to any of these questions, you’re part of the growing culture that demands more from corporate advertisements in an effort to capture the public’s attention. The truth is, a lot of standard employment ads are being passed over for more exciting display ads, or even cleverly written line ads.

Creative Employment Ads

Trends in recruitment are changing across the board – from hiring practices to rewarding employees for superior behavior. Thanks to a stable and growing U.S. economy and unemployment levels that have reached record lows, today is truly a job seeker’s market. The tables have suddenly turned, forcing employers to sell their company – just as hard as a recruit tries to sell his or her employment skills - to a potential new hire. If a company doesn’t stand out and capture the attention of the public, it is more likely to be overlooked by the savvy new recruit.

Separating your company from the pack means impressive corporate recruiting efforts, and a creative advertising campaign is key. Gray, dull, boring help wanted ads are yesterday’s news, giving way to bold, creative – even flashy - classified advertising. Recruitment ads are also finding their way into the main section of the newspaper, where it can catch the eye of an unsuspecting job seeker (a worker who otherwise is not scouring help wanted ads on a daily basis – but are very much worth recruiting efforts). Companies are marketing their help wanted ads like a product that lends insight into how the organization operates. They want workers who are as interesting as their product, business or service.

Even the old standby help wanted advertising mediums are changing. Employers are turning to Internet Web sites, outdoor advertising – from mass-transit to billboard, radio and alternative print publications to find new recruits. According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, spending on outdoor recruitment ads skyrocketed to $15.9 million in 1999, up from $5.9 million the year before. Spending on newspaper recruitment ads, in comparison, rose just 4.2% in 1999 to $8 million. And the majority of those ads were considered classified ads.

Dissecting Typical Help Wanted Ads

If your company isn’t ready to dump their standard advertising campaign just yet, take a moment to review your help wanted ads and make sure they contain these key elements:

Keywords – a keyword, or keyline, is a word or phrase typically located in the top left corner of a classified ad. Keywords can be for the industry or occupation, as in: Accounting, or Accountant. Since the majority of workers scouring help wanted ads are looking for an industry-specific position, they search keywords for a position that matches their field of expertise. Using accurate keywords is not only helpful, but also important in assuring your ad will not be overlooked. Also, publications alphabetize ads according to the first three letters of the keyword to determine where the ad will be placed on the page.

Headlines – the headline is positioned below the keyword and usually contains an attention-grabbing phrase or specific job title, such as CPA or Human Resource Assistant.

Subhead – the subhead, which is optional but if used is typically featured in bold face font, supports the headline. It will feature key requirements or opportunities related to the position. For example, Part-time Evenings, or Above Minimum Wage are good subheads.

The Body – the body is the main section of the ad and includes specific information on the position – a brief job description, what skills are required or desirable, background information on the company, specific information relative to the opening (such as overnight or daily traveling), and/or the location of the job. Specific information, such as dates or times an applicant can apply, and to whom, is included here.

Signature – the signature identifies the company and features the company name and/or logo, address, phone (if applicable).

Statement – this section is optional depending on the company’s needs. It can include an EOE statement (if the company is in compliance with EEOC guidelines), or No Phone Calls, Please. 

Patricia Van Zandt
AsktheEmployer.com