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Especially when it comes to your job postings!

Before you conclude that I’ve lost my marbles, hear me out: We all know how tough it is to recruit qualified candidates these days.

One of the most effective ways to grab their attention is by listing a competitive pay rate.

Here’s why:

  • Job seekers are busy. They have LOTS of options to choose from. And if your posting doesn’t clearly define compensation, they may not invest the time to apply (and who can blame them?).
  • Pay ranges increase recruiting efficiency. Significantly over- or under-qualified candidates will self-select out of applying, which reduces the amount of screening time your recruiters invest.
  • Assumptions are dangerous. If you don’t list a pay rate, candidates may assume that the pay is horrible – or that it’s just a generic recruiting ad.
  • It builds trust. Posting pay rates increases transparency, which is a vital first step in forging a successful employment relationship.

So, before you put that job posting “on the market,” make it more attractive by including the pay rate.

And what if the pay rate really is lousy?

If you’re reluctant to post a pay rate because it’s truly cringeworthy, it’s time to put a little shareworthy service into action. Be a consultant to your clients by:

  • Explaining the realities of our recruiting market. Don’t assume employers understand skill shortages, market pay rates or industry employment projections.
  • Reminding clients of why they’re partnering with you in the first place. Recap the business problem driving their order (e.g., hitting a looming deadline, achieving growth goals, reducing turnover, saving money). Then, connect the dots for them. Associates who are paid fairly are more productive, engaged and reliable. While offering a higher pay rate will raise their bill rate/placement fee slightly, paying a competitive wage will pay off in terms of higher quality talent, better job performance and more.

If you can’t list pay, what else can you do to spark a connection with candidates?

Here are a few other ways to make your job postings stand out:

  • Include the geographic location. Some staffing professionals may balk at this idea, fearing a competitor will deduce the client, swoop in and steal the business out from under them. But in my opinion, the benefit far outweighs the potential risk. Jobs that include a geographic location are more “discoverable” in job seekers’ online searches. Case in point? Google now offers a location filter so potential candidates can search for jobs within a specified distance.
  • Promote the client’s culture, employment brand and perks. People work for more than just a paycheck! Describe all the other things that make the employer and the job exceptional.
  • Ditch the boring laundry list of job duties. Weave those responsibilities into a short narrative featuring a typical day in the position, and its opportunities for growth.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes, providing shareworthy service requires you to shift your thinking – or even respectfully challenge your clients’ thinking. The ways people search for jobs has changed dramatically. Staffing professionals must respond by evolving their job-posting best-practices, patiently educating clients, and making changes that are in everyone’s best interest.

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