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Write an attractive recruitment ad

The recruitment ad is the most important tool to attract candidates. At the same time KTH has certain rules that affect both the content of the ad and the choice of media channels. As the ad should be based upon the recruitment profile (kravprofil) the preparatory work is vital, meaning that the job tasks must have been thoroughly evaluated, as must the competences and personal qualifications needed to succeed be.

The content of the recruitment ad

The recruitment ad is the most visible part of the hiring process. The goal is to attract the right type of candidates to apply for the job. Therefore, always familiarize yourself with the recipient's situation and write based on this and what the target group may be interested in knowing and being attracted to. You can not tell everything in the ad but write short and enticing. More detailed information about, for example, the department or a project, you can link to or tell more about in an upcoming interview. The advertisement must follow the advertising template provided by the Human Resources department on the recruitment page on the intranet for each employment category.

Write a vivid, explicit and appealing ad

Here are some tips to write a vivid, explicit and appealing ad. Please remember that ads for teacher recruitments have specific recruitment processes  that need to be followed and that might affect the ad content.

  • Describe the job tasks. Is there a strategic level to the role, will you be managing staff, or other relevant aspects that should be considered.
  • Specify needed qualifications based upon the recruitment/employment profile (krav-/anställningsprofilen). Separate eligibility and qualifications demanded (skall-krav) from grounds of assessment and qualifying requirements (meriterande krav). Vary between bullet lists and writing sentences in paragraphs.
  • Specify other competences and proficiences useful for the role.

The eligibility and specified qualifications are not only important to attract the right type of candidates. It can also be a strategic tool in avoiding appeals of the hiring decision or to avoid an unreasonable amount of candidates. When it comes to other competences and proficiencies needed, try to put them in context and describe WHY they are requested; for what, when or how are they supposed to be useful? It might be a little different when it comes to personal qualifications but think about why certain traits are requested.

Tips to get started

  • Map your target group. This might be the most important part of your recruitment and might already be a part of the recruitment/employment profile. A thorough mapping will give you information about your target group such as age, experience, education, current positions (level, responsibilities, number of years etc) and geographic location. With the result of your target group mapping you can now prepare to write an ad that will convince the candidates to apply for the job!
  • Describe the role and the upsides of it
  • If you change perspective and pretend to be the candidate you are looking for, it could help you getting good ideas of what would convince the candidate in leaving his/her current position for a new one.
  • Finally you need an informative and catchy headline. If it is appropriate considering the role you are hiring for, you might dare to be a bit bold and adventurious for this part.