4 Tips for Effective Job Postings

A well-crafted job posting sets the stage for successful recruitment. Follow these four tips before submitting your job posting to the ASHA Career Portal job board.

1. CONDENSE YOUR JOB TITLE

Avoid lengthy titles. Instead, aim to keep it short and concise. Think business card-like. This makes the job seeker immediately aware of what position you are hiring for. It also allows them to see the job title in its entirety when using a handheld device. Keep in mind that anything over 35 characters will not show on these types of screens. Here are some effective formatting techniques:

• Ensure spaces before and after special characters for searchable keywords, i.e. Speech - Language Pathologist
• Add the full spelling as well as the abbreviation (if applicable) to capture more job seekers, i.e. Speech - Language Pathologist (SLP)

2. INCLUDE SALARY

A recent LinkedIn survey showed 82% of respondents want to see salary range in a job description. Additionally, it detailed that companies who provided this information up front gave off a more positive impression. Job seekers like to see the full picture. Consider adding this to your description, as well as any other job-related bonuses. Here are salary "do's" and "don'ts" to help with search engine results:

• Do ensure spaces before and after special characters, i.e. $25 / hour, $50,000 – $65,000
• Don't use abbreviations, i.e. $10k, $30/hr

3. HIGHLIGHT KEY INFORMATION

Most candidates only spend an average of 14 seconds per job posting. Therefore, it's important to spotlight only the most important information in your description. Try to limit it to around 200–300 words. As a rule of thumb, provide company-specific information (mission, benefits, growth opportunities) first and job-specific information (responsibilities, qualifications, location, schedule, and salary) second. Use clear headings, bullet points, bold print when applicable, and paragraphs to help with overall structure.

4. PROVIDE CLEAR APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Be sure to specify the who, what, and where. State whose contact information they should reach out to if applicable, what documentation is needed, and where the application is located. This is the final, and arguably most important part of the job description. Providing clear instructions to the job seeker ensures they have the tools needed to submit their application successfully.

READ, FIX, POST

You're finished...almost. Take the time to re-read everything once more in search of any grammatical or informational errors. You want to put your best foot forward! After you are satisfied with how it looks and reads, submit your job posting. It will then appear live on our job board within three business days. 

For more information about the ASHA Career Portal and other recruiting opportunities, reach out to Eli McLean at 202-296-8726 or emclean@asha.org.