Why Your Job Ads Aren’t Working: Insights from Jooble’s Head of Sales

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, it’s crucial for talent acquisition marketers to stay ahead of recruitment advertising trends. Tetiana Gorbunova, Head of Sales at Jooble, a job aggregator with a presence in 67 countries, recently shared her insights during The RecAd Savvy webcast. She discussed best practices and emerging trends in online recruitment advertising and marketing, in an event hosted by TAtech with Peter Weddle.

Drawing from over 12 years of experience in the job industry, Tetiana reveals the secrets of effective recruiting in 2024.

She notes that online recruitment has evolved significantly, with large companies creating dedicated job portals and forming strategic partnerships to fill roles quickly. Employers now struggle with talent shortages and often set strict candidate quotas. Meanwhile, the industry has seen a surge in niche job boards catering to specific sectors, while generalist platforms need assistance in managing diverse listings and rapidly changing job statuses. 

A key challenge remains: balancing the need for comprehensive candidate information with a user-friendly application process, as the job seeker’s journey on many platforms remains unnecessarily complex.

Labor shortage and skill mismatch

One of the most pressing issues in today’s job market is the increasing labor shortage, especially in certain European countries and industries in the United States. This trend is expected to intensify in the next few years, posing new challenges for both recruiters and marketers.

Tetiana highlights a paradox:

“We surveyed about 1,000 job seekers in the U.K. to understand the challenges they encounter while searching for new employment. Approximately 30% of the respondents shared that they struggle to find suitable job opportunities. Employers, on the other hand, report that it is challenging to find individuals with the necessary skill sets. This creates a situation where job seekers find it challenging to secure positions that match their qualifications and requirements.”

This mismatch underscores the need for more effective job advertising strategies that can bridge the gap between employer requirements and job seeker qualifications. 

Marketers need to focus on:

• Clearly communicating job requirements
• Highlighting transferable skills
• Emphasizing company culture and growth opportunities
• Using targeted advertising to reach candidates with specific skill sets

Read also: Jooble Improves Job Search: 5 Key Updates to the Mobile App

Is the remote era coming to an end?

The post-pandemic era has brought significant changes to work models. 

“We are hearing more and more about hybrid work, and big companies are discussing a return to the office. I believe this trend will continue to grow in the near future,” Tetiana notes.

According to the Jooble study, comparing the first half of 2024 with the first half of 2023 reveals both challenges and opportunities for recruitment marketers:

• Remote work options are decreasing, with fully remote job listings down by 51%
• Job seekers’ interest in work-from-home opportunities has surged by 134%
• Hybrid work models are becoming more prevalent
• Employers are increasingly requiring at least some in-office presence

Marketers must adapt their messaging to reflect these changing dynamics and employer preferences. This might include:

1. Highlighting flexible work arrangements in job postings
2. Emphasizing office culture and in-person collaboration benefits
3. Targeting local candidates for roles requiring office presence
4. Addressing work-life balance concerns in employer branding materials

The journey of a job seeker will be shorter

The future of recruitment advertising relies heavily on technological advancements that improve user experience. Tetiana emphasizes the importance of streamlining the application process:

“I’m sure that more and more features will be oriented to make this job seeker journey shorter in order to make the application process much faster for the candidates.”

Expected technological advancements include:

• Easy apply and quick apply options
• Multi-apply features allowing applications to multiple jobs with one click
• Video application options for certain positions
• Integrations with other platforms (e.g., Google profile sign-in)
• Mobile-optimized application processes

These improvements aim to reduce application abandonment rates and increase the number of qualified applicants.

Read also: No Bots or Peak Loads: Jooble Implements a New Security System

How to improve job postings

• Start with three bullet points highlighting the company’s value proposition. For example, it is a global leader in sustainable energy solutions, offers flexible work arrangements with four-day work weeks, and offers comprehensive health benefits, including mental health support.
• Focus on the role’s benefits and unique selling points. For example, a job posting could read, “Join our marketing team and lead campaigns that reach millions, with opportunities for international travel and a personal development budget of $5,000 annually.”
• Use attention-grabbing titles that reflect common job seeker search terms. Craft titles that are both accurate and appealing, using keywords job seekers are likely to use: instead of “Customer Success Ninja,” use “Senior Customer Success Manager – SaaS Industry.”
• Include salary information when possible. Transparency about compensation helps attract qualified candidates and saves time for both parties.
• Balance between detailed requirements and an engaging, concise format. Provide necessary information without overwhelming the reader. Use bullet points and short paragraphs.

The importance of tracking systems

On the employer side, there’s a growing focus on quality over quantity. Tetiana notes an increasing adoption of tracking systems. She says that Jooble’s customers increasingly agree to move forward with this integration and work with tracking systems because they understand that they will not achieve great results without it.

Benefits of advanced tracking systems include:

• Customization of advertising campaigns
• Optimization of cost per application
• Improved quality of candidate matches
• Data-driven decision making in recruitment advertising

Tetiana predicts the development of tracking systems that will enable tracking multiple events and be more user-friendly, making them easy to implement even for marketing managers without extensive technical skills.

Short resume: key priorities for recruitment marketers

1. Focus on streamlining the application process to significantly reduce the job seeker’s journey. 
2. Implement easy-apply options and multi-apply features to boost application completion rates. 
3. Given the 51% decrease in remote job listings and the 134% surge in work-from-home interest, craft messaging that accurately reflects the shift towards hybrid work models and emphasizes in-office benefits. 
4. Address the growing labour shortage by clearly communicating job requirements and highlighting transferable skills in your ads. 
5. Embrace advanced tracking systems to optimize your cost per application and improve candidate match quality. 
6. Revamp your job postings by leading with three bullet points showcasing your company’s value proposition, using attention-grabbing titles aligned with common search terms, and including salary information whenever possible. 

By focusing on these concrete actions, recruitment marketers can more effectively navigate the complexities of the 2024 job market and attract more candidates to job postings.