Writing a job ad: from job profile to compelling copy

Why the vacancy text matters more than you think

For most candidates, the vacancy text is the first moment of contact with your organization. It is at the same time a selection instrument (attracting the right people, discouraging the wrong ones) and a marketing instrument (establishing your employer brand).

In practice, vacancy texts are often written under time pressure, copied from previous vacancies, or put together from loose notes by the hiring manager. The result is generic texts that do not stand out and do not select.

A vacancy text that starts from the job profile solves that. The content has already been defined: responsibilities, competencies, requirements, terms of employment. The recruiter adds the recruiting layer.

The structure of a strong vacancy text

An effective vacancy text follows a fixed structure that takes the candidate from interest to action.

About the company — who are you, what is the mission, why would someone want to work here? This is the employer value proposition (EVP). Use a template so that this is consistent across all vacancies.

About the job — what will you be doing? Concrete responsibilities, not abstract descriptions. "You lead a team of 8 developers" is stronger than "you provide leadership".

Who we are looking for — which competencies, experience and education are needed? Be specific but realistic. Too many requirements scare off good candidates.

What we offer — salary (indication), secondary terms of employment, development opportunities, way of working (hybrid, remote, office). Transparency attracts better candidates.

The application process — which steps does a candidate go through? How long does it take? Transparency about the process lowers the threshold to apply.

From job profile to vacancy text

If the job architecture is set up, the job profile already contains most of what you need for the vacancy text.

• Responsibilities: come directly from the job profile. They describe what the job entails, independent of the person who fills the job.
• Competencies and requirements: the job profile defines which competencies and behavioral indicators belong to the job. You translate those into concrete requirements in the vacancy text.
• Terms of employment: salary indication, type of contract, FTE range and way of working are recorded in the job profile.

The recruiter no longer has to start from scratch. The job profile provides the skeleton, the recruiter makes it appealing. That saves time and increases quality.

Templates for consistency

• Two parts of the vacancy text are organization-wide: the company description and the terms of employment. These should not differ per vacancy.

A template for the company description (EVP) ensures that every vacancy tells the same story about who you are. The recruiter can adjust it per vacancy, but the starting point is consistent.

A template for terms of employment prevents one vacancy from promising more than another. It also ensures transparency: candidates know in advance what they can expect.

Templates are not a straitjacket. They are a starting point that saves time and safeguards quality. The recruiter retains the freedom to adjust where needed.

Findability: the vacancy has to be found

A vacancy text that nobody finds has no value. Findability depends on three factors: the title, the content and the platform.

The title must be clear and searchable. "Senior Software Engineer" works better than "Digital Master Builder". Candidates search for job titles they know.

The content must contain the search terms candidates use. That happens automatically if the vacancy text is concrete: specific technologies, tools, responsibilities.

The platform determines the reach. A careers page on your own website is the basis. In addition, you publish on job boards that suit the target group. Multiposting saves time.

Common mistakes in vacancy texts

• Too many requirements: a long list of "must haves" scares off good candidates, especially women and minorities. Limit yourself to what is really needed.
• No salary indication: in a tight labor market, transparency about pay is a competitive advantage. Candidates want to know whether it fits before they apply.
• Generic company description: "We are a dynamic organization" says nothing. Be specific about what makes you unique.
• Unclear process: if the candidate does not know what happens after applying, it feels like a black hole. Describe the steps and the timeline.
• Copying previous vacancies: every job is different. Do not copy, but start from the job profile.