A job board is essentially the more modern version of the newspaper classifieds. Except, navigating the classifieds section was a little easier because the basic recipe for success was a simple job description and coughing up the cash for advertising space. While it’s true there are a few more steps involved with optimizing a job board, the tips outlined in this post should provide some basic framework. The rest of the optimization process is up to you as the HR professional.
A job board is essentially the more modern version of the newspaper classifieds.
What is a job board?
In its simplest form, a job board is an online “board” that hosts a variety of job ads. A job board is slightly different than a job aggregator which essentially “scrapes” job descriptions off the web. On a job board, employers are usually the ones to supply the job ad directly.
What is job board optimization?
Now that we’ve narrowed down what it is, let’s dig a little deeper into what we mean with the phrase “job board optimization.” Optimization essentially means to make something as perfect or as refined/efficient as possible, so this is our end goal with job board optimization. We want the job board to function as effectively as possible so we can maximize our job ad exposure and gain quality applicant traffic.
What are the steps involved with job board optimization?
The optimization process is simple if we break the process down into steps. I’ve outlined the three basic phases of the optimization process below.
- You want the ad to be found on your job board.
The first step your optimization strategy is to produce an ad that’s “found” on the job board. In order to accomplish this, you need to research and determine which job boards you’re planning to target and place your ad online.
- You want your ad to rank high on your job board.
Okay, so you’ve tackled the first big hurdle on your job board optimization journey, and that’s to get your ad online on a job board that gives you the best hiring bang for your buck. Now what? Well, unfortunately, this next piece is a little trickier. It’s not enough to simply place an ad on a job board, you have to optimize the ad for your medium so that it’s found against thousands of other similar job ads. This process will vary based on the specific medium you’re using, but one of the best places to start is to look at the keywords in your post. Does the language you use match the language of your job seekers? In other words, are your applicants going to be able to find your ad based on the phrases they search for when they’re looking for openings on the job board?
- You want to entice applicants to click on the ad on your job board and apply.
One of the biggest misconceptions we’ve found that exist in our clients’ preconceived hiring notions is that ads on a job board should scare applicants away from applying. This mindset is a dated approach to hiring and creates the opposite result to transpire…instead of attracting superstar employees that are “committed” to your job opening, you’re drawing applicants to apply who are probably desperate. Quality job seekers know their worth and want to work for a company that values their contributions and meets more of their individual needs than a competitor’s benefit package. Selling yourself and focusing on what’s in it for your candidates is one of the simplest ways to optimize a job board strategy.
Did you know that a high quality ATS will optimize each job board according to both the unique needs of the board itself and your needs as an employer? Call us today to try it out free for thirty days!
