Best Practices for Posting and Updating Job Listings

A job listing is an employer’s first opportunity to get qualified candidates interested in the position. Even though posting a job listing seems simple enough, it’s easy to go wrong and miss your chance to land top candidates.

Applying tried-and-true best practices can help you get the most out of your job postings.

With that in mind, here are 10 tips for creating effective job listings, plus some best practices for updating a job listing.

Top 10 best practices for posting successful job listings

1. Include a salary range

The question of whether to include a salary range in job postings is always controversial.

Some states like California and Colorado require employers to disclose the pay range for jobs. Job seekers also named estimated compensation the number 1 factor they considered when deciding whether to apply for a role, according to a recent employment study.

Even so, many employers in other states choose not to post salary ranges on their job listings, and that’s a mistake.

Add a salary range to all your job listings to encourage strong, dedicated candidates to apply and to ensure compliance with pay disclosure laws.

2. Add a diversity statement

Many job postings end with a statement about being an “equal opportunity employer.” Is that enough?

Legally, the answer is yes. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission doesn’t require employers to include a diversity statement. It is, however, a great way to show potential hires your company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Since 86% of global candidates value diversity in the workplace, adding a diversity statement to your job postings can go a long way. Make sure your statement highlights the ways your company creates an inclusive environment and culture of equality.

3. Eliminate biased language

Your job posting should be as inclusive as possible to attract a wide group of diverse, qualified candidates. Inclusive job postings make it clear that everyone is welcome to apply, regardless of their demographics or background.

Part of creating a truly inclusive job posting is checking for and removing any biased language. Make these changes, when applicable:

• Use “parental leave” instead of maternity or paternity leave.
• Also, use “their” instead of “his” or “her” pronouns.
• Use gender-neutral job titles (e.g. Business person instead of businessman).
• Avoid terms like “young” and “energetic.”
• Leave off unnecessary requirements like “Candidates must be able to lift 10 lbs.” unless completely relevant.

Simple changes like these to remove biased language can make your job listing much more inclusive.

4. Include a benefits list

Alongside the salary range, job seekers highlighted the benefits list as the most helpful and appealing part of a job posting.

Make sure to list all the benefits you will provide to the successful candidate. Beyond common benefits like health insurance and parental leave, other benefits you may offer include:

• Tuition assistance
• Paid vacation
• Flexibility benefits
• Stock options
• Signing bonus
• 401(k)
• Childcare benefits
• Pet insurance
• Performance bonus

Listing out these benefits will increase the application rate on your job listing by 1-5% per benefit.

5. Stand out from other employers

Your job posting will always have to compete against others. Currently, there are more than 10 million job openings, some of which are probably at your competitors’ companies. To attract the top job candidates, you need to make sure your job postings stand out from the pack.

So how can you differentiate your job posting?

One way to make your posting unique is to include testimonials from employees talking about why your organization is a great place to work.

One way to make your posting unique is to include testimonials from employees talking about why your organization is a great place to work. Another tactic you can try is including visual media like photos or videos in your job listing.

6. Post on multiple job boards

Once you have a strong job listing, it’s time to post it. Some of the top job posting websites include Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor. Each of these job posting sites is suited to nearly every industry, so you can be confident you’ll attract a pool of relevant candidates.

Posting on one of these sites would be enough to get you a solid group of applicants. But why limit yourself to the user base of just one site? To broaden the reach of your job listing, post it on multiple job boards.

Consider posting on industry-specific job boards in addition to general job boards like Indeed. You can also look into alternatives to posting on a job board to find even more great applicants.

7. Stay consistent

If you do choose to post your job listing across multiple channels, make sure your job postings are free from inconsistencies.

It’s easy for inconsistencies to pop up across job postings, especially if several different people write them. Using a job posting template with a set tone of voice, format, point of view, and sections will go a long way.

8. Optimize for mobile devices

The world has gone mobile, and job applications are no exception. In 2021, job seekers completed 2/3 of all job applications on mobile devices.

Optimizing your application process for mobile is essential to ensure you don’t miss out on qualified candidates.

Job applications through major job boards are usually mobile-friendly, but check that your company website and forms are structured for mobile, too.

9. End with a call to action

Remember that every job posting is ultimately an ad — you’re trying to get people to apply for the position. One important feature of ads that you should include in all job listings is a call to action.

Use the call to action to direct people viewing your job listing toward the next step they should take. Sample calls to action for job postings include:

• Work with us
• Join the family
• Submit an online application
• Start immediately
• Join our team
• Apply now
• Apply online

Stick the call to action at the bottom of your job posting to increase your application rate.

10. Share on social media

Whenever possible, harness the power of social media to find qualified job applicants. One way to do this is to share your job postings across your company’s social media channels.

Job seekers are probably already looking at your social media to see if there’s information about open positions. Capitalize on that audience by posting job listings on social media, too.

Tips for updating an out-of-date or inaccurate job listing

Sometimes, the details of a job opening change after you post the initial job listing. Don’t worry — you can easily update a job listing to reflect these changes.

Here are some tips for updating job listings:

• Replace any inaccurate information
• Correct any spelling or grammar mistakes
• Clarify any points you have received questions about
• Edit for length and format
• Include a link to your company website
• Update the job posting across all channels

Ideally, you won’t have to make any changes to your job listing after publishing. If you do, make sure to follow these tips to make your posting even stronger.

Ensure your job listings are as effective as possible

Publishing job listings is a major part of any recruitment effort, but it isn’t easy. Small business owners especially can struggle to keep up. By following these best practices for posting and updating job listings, you can ensure your job listings are as effective as possible.

Soon, lots of qualified applicants will start responding and joining your team.