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How to Write a Job Ad that Attracts the Right People

The key to boosting retention (and ending high employee turnover) – here’s who to write a job ad according to your current company culture (with examples)…

How do you write a job ad that really showcases your company culture?

It’s important, because…

The No 1 biggest hiring mistake most companies today make is misrepresenting themselves when putting out a job ad. Or, rather, “dressing their company up” to be something they WISH it was – not what it really is…

That’s why you have high employee turnover rates. Why you struggle with talent retention. And why so many Development Pros and HR Teams lose all hope when they have to rehire for a position they filled less than 12 months ago.

You want proof?

WATCH: THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR RECRUITMENT

And one of the first places to start when rethinking your recruitment process is by looking at how you write job ads.

See, most of us look at other companies and wish we were like that. And then emulate them and use really fancy recruitment techniques. The problem is, if you attract somebody that way, it’s kind of a false pretense.

And then – surprise, surprise! – as soon as that person realises that your company is NOT really like that, they leave. So you get a really high turnover rate – and stressed-out HRs.

That’s why it’s super important to:

  1. Know your company culture
  2. Write ads that will attract the RIGHT people (for your current culture)

HOW TO WRITE A JOB AD THAT SHOWCASES YOUR COMPANY CULTURE

STEP 1: FIND OUT YOUR COMPANY CULTURE TYPE

If you haven’t done an assessment yet, there are basically 4 broad-strokes company culture types

And you can take 5 minutes right now and quickly find out which one fits your company with our Discover your Company Culture quiz.

STEP 2: CHANGE YOUR LANGUAGE AND APPROACH

So there’s no point pretending your company is something it’s not. You’re not going to change your company culture just by writing ads in a new way. So the best way to boost your retention is to write ads that will attract the kind of person that will fit your CURRENT company culture.

NOTE: Actually changing your company culture is a big job, but it’s not impossible. We can explain to you exactly how that would work if you book a Development Session with us.

4 COMPANY CULTURE-BASED JOB ADVERT EXAMPLES

1. How to Write a Job Ad for an “Army” Culture

An Army Culture is all about prestige, hierarchy, stability and structure (formal roles and procedures). And that’s why this type of company appeals to people who prize self-discipline and order, who want to be seen and recognised, who look up to authority and have strong morals.

So it makes sense to lead with how long your company’s been in business, how recognisable your brand is (show the prestige they’re buying into) and then show that you are very structured and stable – formal job titles with detailed job descriptions tend to do the trick.

For example

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This type of ad:

  • Uses traditional-looking design
  • Immediately appeals to moral high ground (“we do things RIGHT”)
  • Leads with showcasing the prestige of the company
  • And then goes into a very detailed job description
  • This would attract the kind of person who likes working in an “Army” Culture

2. How to Write a Job Ad for a “Machine” Culture

The Machine Culture is all about performance and doing better – for yourself and for the company. And that’s why this type of culture really appeals to people who are ambitious, want to appear successful – and measure that success through their standard of living.

But, they also like to challenge the status quo a bit, so to attract them, you need to showcase the things they prize: Show your business is innovative, paint a picture of their work perks, create a sense that they will be doing new things here, and show that you are flexible in how they work.

For example

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This type of ad:

  • Immediately shows a fancy car – appealing to their need to succeed
  • Show their business innovation awards
  • Uses the word “Get Ahead with Us”
  • List the benefits (not a job description)
  • This would attract the kind of person who likes to work in a “Machine” Culture

3. How to Write a Job Ad for a “Family” Culture

The Family is all about the people, trust, empowerment and culture fit. And that’s why it appeals to people who are sensitive to others’ emotions, want to belong to a tribe and care more about relationships. They’ll also value freedom, independence and the ability to make thor own decisions.

So attracting them will be all about showcasing your culture, people and values first!

For example

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This type of ad:

  • Shows the people first
  • Talks about “team” and “meet you”
  • Lists the company values and gives a taste of the culture
  • NOTE: no job description needed
  • This would attract the kind of person who loves a “Family” Culture

4. Job Ad for a “Wolfpack” Culture

The wolfpack is all about being strong, surviving and performing well. It often appeals to those looking to gain independence from their family and traditions. And attracting the right person for this is a lot simpler than you might think.

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TIP: Don’t spend too much energy on job ads

It might sound counterintuitive, but most wolfpacks get their best hires from internal referrals. So, instead of putting your time and energy into creating a job ad, rather spread the word among your current team and let them use their networks to find you the right person. 

You can put a very simple ad in the classifieds, if need be. But it can be very basic: Just indicate the Job Role and salary – that should be enough to attract the right kind of person.


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PLUS: DISCOVER YOUR COMPANY CULTURE

We created an awesome self-assessment tool that works like a simple 5-minute quiz/survey. Use it right now to discover your company culture.

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AND: HOW TO BOOST RETENTION USING YOUR CULTURE

Unlock amazing new neuroscience insights to end high employee turnover, plus: attract and retain talent better. We’ve created an amazing new toolkit you can use to boat your retention through the roof. Discover our single most powerful talent retention strategy.


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