When an employee leaves a position, the employer will often choose to publicly advertise the resulting vacancy. The notice will generally request that persons interested in the job submit resumes or other relevant information that can allow the employer to decide who he wishes to interview. There are several factors that employers should consider when drawing up the notice.
One of the main questions an employer faces is where to post the advertisement. The employer must balance wanting to seek the widest possible applicant pool with wanting to narrow the search to the candidates most likely to respond to the ad. For example, while more people may view a general circulation publication, candidates reading a trade publication from the relevant industry would be more likely to respond.
Employers must also decide how long to keep the job notice posted. The longer the notice is posted, the longer the employer must wait before the job is successfully filled. However, keeping the notice up longer will allow him to receive more applications and, thus, potentially pick a better candidate.
Employers must choose whether to advertise the position's salary within the job notice. The advantages of listing a salary is that applicants will know roughly how much money they will receive, allowing them to make a better choice about whether the position interests them. If the salary is generous, posting it could attract better candidates. However, stating the salary may put the employer at a disadvantage during salary negotiations.
Most employers will request that job applicants submit a resume outlining their education, skills and professional employment. However, only some employers will ask that job seekers submit a special cover letter specific to the position. The advantage of asking for a cover letter is it will provide employers with additional information about candidates. The downside is it may scare off potential hires who are reluctant to spend time writing a full letter.
An employer must also consider what sort of requirements he wants to list on the notice. Stating definite requirements, such as the candidate must have a degree in a particular field or have a certain amount of experience, can be an effective means of making sure only qualified candidates apply. However, it may scare off some candidates who have equivalent skills, but do not meet the exact stated qualifications.
