smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

When you have a clear idea of what job you need doing and what sort of person you would like to fill the job, it’s time to advertise the post.

The main ways you can tell job hunters about the job on offer are:

• by advertising direct, on the internet or in newspapers or magazines
• through recruitment agencies and consultants
• through friends, existing employees and business contacts
• by recruiting direct from colleges.

Use more than one method to fill a job as it will widen the field.

In the ad, there should be
• company name: put in the name and logo, if you have one
• job title: use a title or description which will mean something to a stranger
• pay: state what salary can be expected. Job hunters interpret phrases like ‘salary negotiable’ as meaning a low salary
• place: state where the job is. If you are not offering moving expenses, this is very important. In any case, people like to know what the environment of the job is
• the work: describe the work to be done and say what authority the job has
• the company: state what your company does and what size it is. Avoid clichés about dynamism, fast-growing and so on; all companies use them
• the person: state your requirements, such as experience needed, qualifications, age and other personal qualities
• how to apply: name the person to write to, not just the job title. Tell the job hunter how you want them to give details of experience and qualifications – for example, send in brief CV, apply for application form and so on
• when to apply: give a closing date for applications, if possible allowing two to three weeks from the appearance of the ad
• the law: check your ad is not breaking the sex, race, disability, religious belief or sexual orientation discrimination laws. And make sure the information is accurate, as the ad may form part of the contract between you and your new employee.

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