Two job adverts for near-identical roles can produce wildly different results, one gets a handful of applications, the other gets dozens of genuinely suitable candidates. The difference is rarely luck. It's usually a handful of specific details that either give a candidate reason to apply, or quietly give them reason to move on.
Lead with the role, not the company history
Many adverts open with several paragraphs about the company's founding, mission and values before mentioning the actual job. Most candidates skim past this to find out what the role involves and whether they're qualified, so put that information near the top. There's still room for company background further down, once you've answered the question they actually opened the advert to ask.
Include a genuine salary, not just "competitive"
"Competitive salary" tells a candidate nothing, since every employer believes their own salary is competitive. Adverts with a specific figure or range consistently attract more applications, because candidates can immediately judge whether it's worth their time, rather than applying speculatively or skipping the listing entirely out of uncertainty.
Be specific about hours and working pattern
Vague phrases like "flexible hours" mean different things to different employers, and candidates increasingly skip adverts that don't specify. State the actual pattern: is it fixed shifts, a rota, genuinely flexible within core hours, hybrid, fully on-site? The more specific you are, the more accurately you'll attract people who can genuinely commit to that pattern, rather than losing them at the interview stage once the details become clear.
Describe who thrives in the role, not just what they'll do
A list of duties tells a candidate what the job involves, but not whether they'd be good at it or enjoy it. A short line describing the kind of person who does well in the role, patient, detail-oriented, comfortable working independently, whatever's genuinely true of your best people in that position, helps the right candidates recognise themselves, and gently discourages people who wouldn't be a good fit from applying at all.
Keep the application step short
Every additional field in an application form is a small chance to lose a candidate, particularly good ones who likely have other options and limited patience for a lengthy process. A short first step, CV and basic contact details, converts considerably better than a long form asking for a covering letter, references and availability all upfront.
Avoid jargon and internal shorthand
Job titles and terms that make perfect sense inside your organisation can be genuinely confusing to an outside candidate searching for work. If your internal title is unusual, include the more commonly searched term alongside it, both for candidates and for how the advert performs in search.
The pattern behind all of this
Every point above comes down to the same principle: reduce the effort and uncertainty a candidate has to work through before deciding to apply. Specific pay, specific hours, a clear sense of who the role suits, and a quick application process all remove small pieces of friction, and removing enough of them is usually what separates an advert that gets a handful of applications from one that gets dozens of the right ones.