Source & Recruit Candidates Using Copywriting Strategies
It’s often expressed in business media as the “War for Talent.” Softer terms such as competition for talent or even stiff competition for talent seem more appropriate, but it does express the difficulty some organizations when recruiting. It can be difficult to get noticed in the glut of job ads circulating online.
When running ads for sourcing and recruiting, it pays to get noticed. And to get noticed, to really standout from your competitors, you need to pull a page out of the consumer product marketer’s handbook.
The simplest way to do that is to use the copywriting method of AIDA – Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action – in your job opening announcements.
AIDA for Job Opening Announcements
The key to using AIDA for sourcing talent is to think of the job you have to offer as the product and qualified healthcare candidates as your customers. Your goal, then, is to sell the position to your customer. It works something like this:
Attention: It all starts with the headline.
Your headline should be designed to attract the attention of the prospect. It should state the benefit promise succinctly.
If, for example, you are sourcing and recruiting for a nursing position that is steady days, then your target candidate may be a working shifts and would like more routine in their life. Your headline may then read “Nursing Positions: Straight Days Monday to Friday.”
If you are an employer-of-choice, your employment brand may be the key to attracting attention. The headline may read “Top 100 Healthcare Organization Hiring Registered Nurses.”
Put yourself in their shoes, what would you consider to be the most attractive benefit you have to offer the prospect?
Interest: Build on the offer.
Once you have their attention, its important to build on the offer. You want to lay out your unique selling proposition in regards to the position. The benefits of working for your organization may be one option. Or perhaps there is a special project they will be involved with.
Attempt to capture what makes the job and your organization special. People like to be associated with something special, something with meaning, or something adventurous…so communicate that ‘something’ to the prospect.
Desire: Convert the prospect into a qualified lead.
Get the prospect involved by writing in a conversational tone. Refer to them in the second person using words such as you and your. An example may look something like “Your 10 years of experience…” Your goal here is to help the prospect visualize themselves in the role.
Call-to-Action: Closing the deal.
Create a compelling call-to-action. If they are this far through the announcement, its time to close the deal and ask for their contact information or CV. Make it as easy as possible to apply. A complicated application process may turn them off and you may lose them. Make the instructions as explicit as possible, keeping ad size in mind, and invite or ask them to contact you.
Wrapping It Up
The job announcement must be easy to read using short sentences and simple language. Job prospects may scan 100s of job openings per day so convey your message clearly and in as few words as possible. Advertise your employer brand but don’t overdo the graphics; you want the eyes on your job offer.
Author Bio
Russell Richer has 15 years experience as a B2B copywriter. A former 17-year corporate accountant, I specialize in promoting B2B products, software, SaaS, and services related to sustainable manufacturing, industrial contracting, supply chain, environmental health & safety, and business process automation. Contact Russ @ richer-communications.com.