How To Write A Job Recruitment Ad

This year has caused a lot of ups and downs in employment. While some industries took a massive hit, others seem to be growing — including RV rental, trucking, senior care, and home improvement. As a result of that growth, we’ve seen an increase in recruitment ads for radio. Radio is one of the best mediums to get the word out because people are often tuned in while working or driving. What better place to hear about a job opportunity for a trucking company than while you’re driving? Or hear that a better landscaping company is hiring while you’re trimming hedges for your current job?

Every job recruitment ad has a lot of information they want packed in — salary and benefits, hours, history of company, sign on bonus, location, qualifications, reasons they’re a great place to work, how to apply — the list goes on. But the main goal we’re trying to accomplish is to make listeners interested enough to apply. Simply listing qualifications and hourly wages usually isn’t compelling enough to make someone pick up the phone (unless it’s something like $100/hr!) You also need to include some intangibles — show how this new job will improve their life and maybe even make them more fulfilled. Examples: “Explore the country while earning great pay and benefits driving for American Trucking” or “American Trucking drivers are heroes, providing essential goods to people every day.”

It’s also important to consider the different types of potential hires. Here are the two most common groups:

1. Unemployed, seeking work. This is a much broader audience because you’re speaking to people who may have never worked in the industry before, people who are considering work in the industry, and people who are in the industry but currently unemployed. The messaging of this ad should inform the listener about the benefits of working in that industry, and why this business is the best to work for. Even though you’re speaking to a broader audience, try to avoid generic greetings like “Attention job seekers” and “Need work?” Instead craft something more intriguing like “Do you have a heart for caring for others? Consider a career in senior home care.”
2. Employed, seeking better work. For this audience, you’re speaking to people already working in the industry and you’re trying to attract them to greener grass. In order to appeal to these listeners, try to tap into reasons they might be frustrated at their current job and want to look elsewhere. Some effective angles are: “Feel like there’s no room to grow at your current job?” and “Did you know you could earn more and get on the fast-track to promotions with Acme Plumbing?” These address possible downsides someone might be experiencing in their current role and offer a hopeful alternative.

Convey the directions to apply clearly, in plain language. After you get listeners excited about their new potential job, you need to give them a way to follow up. Most ads supply a phone number to call or web address to apply at. It’s best to repeat that call to action so listeners better remember how to get started on their new job! Have a knack for writing radio ads? Give it a shot on Write Label!