Why Your Job Advert Is Attracting the Wrong Candidates.

You posted a job. Within 48 hours you had 200 applications. You spent a day and a half working through them. And not one of them was right.

If you've experienced this, you'll know the particular frustration of having done everything you were supposed to do written the advert, posted it on the right platforms, waited and still ended up with a pile of applications that aren't remotely close to what you need.

Here's the thing. When a job advert consistently attracts the wrong candidates, it's almost never bad luck and almost always a fixable problem with the advert itself. After 27 years of writing, reviewing and fixing recruitment adverts, I can tell you the same issues come up again and again.

1. You've Written a Job Description, Not a Job Advert

This is the most common mistake I see. A job description is an internal document it lists duties, responsibilities and requirements for HR and legal purposes. A job advert is a piece of marketing it's written to attract a specific person and make them want to apply.

Most businesses copy and paste their job description into an advert and wonder why it doesn't work. The right candidates the ones who are good at their jobs, probably already employed and not desperately scrolling job boards read a wall of bullet points and scroll past.

An effective job advert answers one question first: why would the right person want this job? Lead with that the opportunity, the impact, the environment before you list what you need from them.

2. Your Requirements List Is Too Long

Five years experience. Degree educated. Proficient in twelve software packages. Full driving licence. Experience in a fast-paced environment.

Sound familiar? Long requirements lists do two things they put off strong candidates who don't tick every box, and they attract weaker candidates who are used to applying speculatively for anything.

Research consistently shows that men will apply for a role if they meet around 60% of the requirements, while women tend to apply only if they meet close to 100%. An inflated requirements list doesn't raise the quality of applications it skews who applies and narrows your pool in ways you probably didn't intend.

Be honest about what's genuinely essential versus what's desirable. Keep the list short. If something can be learned on the job, it probably doesn't need to be a requirement.

A good job advert doesn't describe the perfect candidate. It speaks directly to the right one.

3. You Haven't Thought About Who You're Actually Talking To

Before writing a word of your advert, you should be able to answer: who is the specific person I want to apply for this role? Not a generic description a real picture of their experience, their motivations, what they're looking for in their next move and what would make them choose you over another employer.

If you can't answer that question, your advert will be vague. And vague adverts attract everyone which means they effectively attract no one useful.

The clearer your picture of the right candidate, the more targeted your advert becomes. And targeted adverts get fewer, better applications which is exactly what you want.

4. Your Advert Sounds Like Everyone Else's

Dynamic. Fast-paced. Passionate. Team player. Competitive salary.

These words appear in virtually every job advert on every job board. They say nothing, they differentiate nothing and they attract nothing specific. Candidates read them and move on.

What actually makes candidates stop and read and more importantly, apply is specificity. What does the role actually involve day to day? What does success look like in six months? What's the team culture genuinely like? What's the real reason this is a good opportunity?

Be specific. Be honest. Sound like a real business run by real people because that's what the right candidates want to join.

5. You Haven't Considered Where You're Posting It

Posting on one generic job board and hoping for the best is not a recruitment strategy. Different roles attract candidates from different places a senior finance hire might need a specialist platform, a customer-facing role might be better on Indeed, a technical role might need direct outreach on LinkedIn.

The platform matters as much as the advert. And the timing matters too posting on a Friday afternoon will get you far fewer quality applications than posting on a Tuesday morning.

The Fix

None of these problems are complicated to solve but they do require someone to look at your advert, your process and your brief with a fresh, experienced eye and tell you honestly what isn't working.

That's exactly what the Neon & Co Recruitment Audit does. For £495, I review your job advert, your recruitment process and your brief and give you a clear, written report on what to fix and how. Most clients tell me it's the most useful £495 they've spent on recruitment.

Because the alternative another round of 200 applications, another week of your time, another wrong hire costs considerably more than that.

Getting the wrong applications?

  The Neon & Co Recruitment Audit is a focused review of your job advert, your process and your brief with a clear written report on exactly what to fix. £495, fixed fee, delivered within 5 working days.

  £495 fixed fee.