As the economy appears to be heading in the right direction, many organizations in the three sectors of American society—nonprofit, for-profit, and government—are planning to increase their employee base. For many, it has been at least three years since this has occurred. So, as a job board that actually posts and consults on job listings for its clients, these are the 8 most common areas of concern we see:
1. Post in sector-centric job boards
If you are posting the opening on only one job board, and if it is a for-profit job, list the job listing on a for-profit or general centric job board. If the opening is a government job, list the job listing on a government-centric job board. If the opening is a nonprofit job, list the job listing on a nonprofit-centric job board. This may seem somewhat obvious, but many don’t appear understand the significance of posting on sector-centric job boards. There are several advantages to this:
- People who tend to apply often have a firm grasp of what the job entails. For example, “Development” means fundraising in nonprofits, while it can mean project management or construction in the for-profit sector, jargon is replete within the sectors. Applicants tend to have more experience and education in the areas of interest.
- Sector-specific job boards tend to be less expensive.
2. Depending on your range, post in regional or national centric job boards
If you are posting on only one job board and you are conducting a national search, it’s best to post on a national job board. If you are posting on only one job board and are looking for local talent, it’s best to post on a local job board. If you have the budget, resources, and time, do both for maximum coverage. But, if you have a limited budget, resources, and time, I suggest using a local job board to find local talent with an understanding of the way things are done locally.
3. Give an overview of the organization and state the mission statement if possible
An overview and/or a mission statement will help ensure an initial proper fit, as some individuals are not meant for every organization. Don’t forget this as this is your best initial screening, as individuals will often self-select whether they can even get behind your mission or organizational philosophy. It’s better to find this out before scheduling an interview.
4. Clearly state the job description, but don’t try to cover every aspect of the job
Give a clear general overview of the job description covering the most important responsibilities but don’t attempt to cover everything as you want to leave yourself some wiggle room during the hiring process in case you need to hire out of the box a little. Yet, keep in mind wiggle room you leave your organization is also wiggle room you leave the applicants.
5. Clearly state the minimum requirements, but don’t attempt to cover every minimum requirement
Cover the big ones but leave your organization room to expect the obvious minimum requirement you shouldn’t have to list in the job description. Many organization will add something like, “Other minimum requirement will be added as deemed by management.”
6. List your web address
Listing your web address will allow candidates to obtain a better feel for your organization through visiting your website. Access to more information is better than less information.
7. State how you want to be contacted. If you don’t want phone calls or faxes, say so
If you don’t indicate you don’t want phone calls or faxes, you’ll likely get them as you’ll be surprised at how resourceful candidates can be, even if you don’t list your number. So, be clear how you want to be contacted. And, if it is through email, make sure you do the following:
- Have a canned email response, preferably an automatic response letting candidates know how and when they will be contacted
- State how you want the subject line addressed—the subject line should have the job title in it.
If you are accepting phone call and faxes, assign someone to be responsible for accepting the calls and faxes. And, make sure to let the receptionist know who’s responsible for job listing.
8. State the date resumes will no longer be accepted
By stating when resumes will no longer be accepted you will save time and resources by letting perspective candidates know when the window will close, as job listings over three-weeks old tend to cause applicants to question whether the organization is still searching. This may cause many of them to call to see if applications are still being accepted, thereby wasting everyone’s time when a simple note in the job listing can handle this ambiguity. And, keep in mind, if need be, the online job listing can most often be edited later.
These are important items to consider when posting online job listings for the most efficient responses. However, your chosen online job board should have the resources to help you post your best job description. If they don’t, consider looking elsewhere.
Happy recruiting!
Sincerely,
LANC
