01 Oct 5 things candidates look out for in job adverts

Simply highlighting the basic information in a job description is not enough to entice high-quality candidates in the current candidate-driven job market. To attract these top candidates, you need to be using your job adverts to market yourselves to your potential employees.

The best job adverts out there that get a good response from candidates are the ones where candidates can see what sets that particular job and employer from all the rest.

Here at Kiwi Recruitment, we’ve listed the top 5 things candidates look for when reading a job advert. By making sure you include these elements in your next job advert, you will be more likely to attract the talented candidates that you are looking for.

Company values

Candidates want to know the company they are applying for are legitimate brands with great qualities and social obligations. This is a key factor when considering a job to those born between 1981-1996 with 62% of those wanting to work for a company with a positive social impact.

Candidates are much more likely to apply for a job if the company’s aims and values match their own. This means that companies must evolve to keep up with the aims and values of the younger generations as they enter and begin to dominate the workforce.

For example, according to Allianz, millennials could make up as much as 75% of the global workforce by 2025. Therefore, employers are more likely to tailor their company aims and values to this generation as they are the largest demographic in the current workforce.

A good-looking salary

This is quite an obvious one. Of course, money has a big influence on candidates. It’s one of the biggest factors for them when considering a job. From this, they will decide how suited they are for the job.

While it has been common practice in recent years to simply list the salary as competitive, doing this now could harm the volume of applications. It has been found that 66% of job seekers are more likely to apply for a job if they can see a salary within the job advert. By being transparent and listing a clear salary range, you will also be saving yourself the time of talking and filtering through candidates whose salary expectations may be higher than what you can realistically offer.

However, while salary is important, you can’t just rely on a good salary alone to attract candidates. In a candidate-driven market, there are plenty more factors candidates will look at when searching for a job.

Potential to improve

Candidates are far more likely to be interested in a job if they can see that they have the potential to not only develop their position within the company but to improve their skills and knowledge.

Showing that you offer learning and development opportunities to employees that will create more interest in the job. Not only that but having these opportunities also means whichever candidate you choose for the job will be more likely to stay at your company longer.

Very rarely will someone apply for a job with the understanding that there is no room for progression for their career within the company or to develop their skills. Therefore, investing in progression opportunities and marketing them is a worthwhile investment.

The benefits

Company benefits are key to showcase on a job advert. Extras such as a pension scheme, healthcare benefits, holiday allowance, all these can set you apart from other employers in a job advert. Having added benefits to the job is also likely to boost the morale of the potential candidate whilst working for your company, and a happy worker brings out great results.

There must be an added incentive for job seekers to want to work for your company, and if your company does have added benefits to offer then make sure someone reading your job advert can see this. After all, company benefits show candidates that your business cares about its employees beyond their job, which is something you want to make them aware of!

Work-life balance

Candidates want to know that the employer understands the need for and importance of a work-life balance. Nobody wants to go into a new role with the fear of being burnt out within the first week of the job.

You need to show a sense of flexibility for a candidate to take interest in your advert. Without having the ability to work around their personal lives’ candidates are less likely to want to apply for your job advert. Showing that your company can be flexible will give the successful candidate a morale boost, giving them extra inspiration when it comes to completing their work.

The Covid-19 pandemic has made work-life balance a much higher priority for workers than it had been previously. Many post-pandemic jobseeker surveys have shown that companies that offer work from home and/or flexible working options are much more likely to attract candidates than those that aren’t.

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