Jobs.co.za Job Writing Checklist

Use the following checklist to assist you in writing great, search friendly job ads that will attract better quality Job Seekers applications.

Job Details:

Job Title

• Statistics show that there is an 18% drop-off in applications as a result of unclear job titles.
• This is the first thing a Job Seeker will look at in your job advert.
• Keep it simple and be as specific as you can.
• Think like a Job Seeker; what would a Job Seeker type into a keyword search when looking for your job?
• Avoid cute or creative job titles and stick with the most basic description of what the job is, even if the title is decorative.
• For the search to work properly the job title must be in English.
• DO NOT USE CAPS THROUGHOUT
• Check your spelling as the job title is matched to job searches by keyword.
• Job Reference
• This is mostly for your own reference purposes and is optional.

Company / Client Name

• Brands attract Job Seekers.
• Job Seekers are more likely to apply to jobs if a company name is included.
• Enter the company name of the employer, not the recruitment agency name.
• It is advisable to select ‘yes' to display the company name, however if you select ‘no' then the company name will not be shown to the Job Seeker but will still be recorded for your reporting convenience.
• Entering a company name helps recruiters differentiate between different client activities on the job activity reports.

Start & Expiry Date

• Job Adverts may only be displayed for a maximum of 30 days from start date.
• Job Adverts may be set to expire earlier than 30 days.
• Job Adverts can be renewed once they have expired.

Job Information:

Industry

• This is the industry in which the position exists.
• It is compulsory to enter the job industry.
• Think about the job industries that a Job Seeker may select when searching for your job advertisement.
• To appeal to Job Seekers in multiple industries, you may want to consider adding additional job advertisements targeting those industries specifically.

Country, Region & Location

• Research shows that the location of the job is the second thing a Job Seeker will look for (after the Job Title) when searching for jobs.
• You must select the Country in which the position is located.
• Once you have selected the Country, related Regions will be displayed (more specific details appear within South Africa).
• Once you have selected the suitable Region (e.g. Gauteng), corresponding locations will appear in the location field (e.g. Sandton)
• If you do not find the Country, Region or Location that you are looking for on our lists, please email our support desk who will provide you with assistance by either adding location details where possible, or suggesting a suitable alternative.

Salary Range & Benefits

• Research shows that salary is the third thing a Job Seeker will look for (after the job title & location) when searching for jobs.
• Statistics show that there is a 27% drop-off in applications as a result of salary ranges not being displayed
• Job Seekers are therefore more likely to respond to job advertisements if you mention the salary and benefit.
• Displaying your salary helps your job ad stand out from the crowd.
• It is compulsory to enter a ‘From' & ‘To' salary range on all job advertisements on Jobs.co.za.
• The range need not be specific if you are concerned that you may be excluding potential Job Seekers.
• By entering a salary range you are immediately able to eliminate unsuitable or over-priced job applicants.
• Be sure to include any benefits such as parking, medical aid, pension, free lunch, etc.

Job Requirements:

Experience Required in Job Function:

• Select the minimum number of years / months experience that the applicant should have in the specific job function, not necessarily total amount of working experience.

Required Level of Job Function:

• Select the minimum level of education that the applicant should have in order to be considered for the vacancy.

Employment Equity Job?

• If the company has an employment equity policy it might prefer the appointment of an affirmative action candidate from a previously disadvantaged group (such as people of colour, women and people with disabilities).
• By selecting ‘yes' it does not necessarily exclude applications from non-affirmative action candidates, nor does the job advertisement display that the job is only open to affirmative action candidates.
• The system uses the ‘yes' selection in the matching process whereby it will match Job Seekers who have indicated on their registration that they are interested in ‘employment equity' opportunities.
• ‘Employment Equity' is not automatically displayed on the job advertisement if you have selected ‘yes'. To display this requirement on the job advertisement a Recruiter will need to add this detail into the Full Job Description area.

Job Type:

• Select whether the position is a permanent, temporary, part-time or contract position.
• If the job is flexible then ‘negotiable' may be selected.

Short Job Description

• Enter a short paragraph of no more than 255 characters in length to best describe the job advert.
• This is a summary description of the job advertisement that will be displayed in the job search results page.
• To set your advertisement aside from all other job ads, and to attract attention to your job advertisement first, write a summary description that is attractive enough to make a Job Seeker want to click on your job advertisement first.
• Write the description on English.
• DO NOT USE CAPS THROUGHOUT
• Pay attention to your spelling and grammar to ensure that you set a good impression of your company from the start.

Full Job Description

• The more details you provide about the job, the more relevant the job applications will be.
• The beauty of online is that you can include a nice lengthy job description. It's not the same as writing a classified advertisement for print - so use the space wisely.
• Place the most important information first and explain what makes this role unique and attractive.
• Include some background information about the company, the culture and the work environment.
• Statistics show that there is a 13% drop-off in applications as a result of insufficient company information.
• Clearly describe the daily duties and responsibilities and ensure that you have painted an accurate picture of what the job entails.
• Write the description on English.
• Use simple language and short sentences.
• DO NOT USE CAPS THROUGHOUT.
• Avoid over-use of CAPITLISATION and exclamation mark!!!
• Pay attention to your spelling and grammar to ensure that you maintain a professional image throughout.
• You can improve the style and layout of your advertisement significantly by making use of the WYSIWYG (HTML Editor) to your advantage.
• Research shows that over 70% of online readers skim through online content rather than read all the text. To ensure that the online reader gets the gist of your job advertisement quickly, use bullet points, numbering, sub-headings, line breaks, and bold text where relevant.
• Do not enter contact details (such as a fax or email) as this will prevent Job Seekers from applying via Jobs.co.za, which may result in poor quality CV's as Jobs Seekers are able to by-pass your pre-screening questions.
• By forcing Job Seekers to apply through Jobs.co.za you are able to monitor your job application activity online and run reports to accurately track your responses. In addition, you are able to regret and short-list applicants online while requesting that they complete further interview questionnaires or assessments.

Application Questions

• To assist you in filtering out unsuitable applicants from the start, make use of the pre-screening application questions.
• You can add up to 5 questions specifically related to the job advert.
  Job Seekers must answer these questions before they are permitted to proceed with their application.
• The answers to these questions are clearly displayed at the top of the emailed application so that you can screen and filter out unsuitable applicants quickly.

Enhance this Job Ad!

Top Job

• When upgrading your job advertisement to a Top Job, it is promoted at the top of the related job search results and is featured in a highlighted ‘Top Job' box above standard jobs, thereby attracting attention to your job advertisement first.

Priority Job

• When upgrading your job advertisement to a Priority Job, your ad is filtered to the top of the standard job ad results.
• A Priority ob is displayed alongside a yellow priority star.
• Priority Jobs are also featured on all key Job Seeker pages in an isolated side bar.
• All current Priority Jobs are included in the monthly Job Seeker newsletter.
• Priority Jobs receive recruitment assistance from our recruitment professional on job writing, manual applicant screening and talent search.

Save & Preview this Job Ad listing

• To reduce administration time in creating future job advertisements, save your job advertisement as a template.
• Be sure to preview your job advertisement and make sure that there are no factual, grammatical or spelling errors before activating it.