How Australian slang and salary disclosure affect job ads
One of the biggest challenges for recruiters is compiling and distributing the perfect job advertisement. Not only do these documents need to be attractive to candidates, they have to survive in a world that’s rapidly changing. The hunt for talent is now well and truly online.
Employers all want to stand out from each other.
Naturally, employers all want to stand out from each other, which can lead to some creative job advertisements in an effort to lure in the best talent. A pair of recent studies investigated some of the features employers use in these cases, such as friendly slang and revealing the position’s exact salary. Could an inventive advertisement in conjunction with the right recruitment software be the key to success?
Should you advertise a position’s salary?
There are many questions recruiters will ask themselves when creating a job advertisement. One of the most pressing is whether or not to include an exact salary figure. As Robert Half noted, there are a number of different pros and cons associated with choosing to do so, and it’s essential to be aware of them before starting a hiring campaign.
Robert Half stated that posting a particularly attractive salary can result in organisations being bombarded with applications, not all of which will be from suitable candidates. In this case, an high salary may prompt a “nothing to lose’ mindset among people who view the advertisement.
The other disadvantage is that it shows competitors what an organisation is willing to pay for the right applicant and allows them to react accordingly.
Does informal language made an advertisement more appealing?
Australians are known for wide range of slang that can be confusing for those who are new to the country’s unique work environment. However, new research from the Australian National University has found that people still getting to grips with the terminology need to study up, as confident slang use could make people more likeable.
According to Dr Evan Kidd, it’s because using slang indicates social equality, creating stronger social bonds between various speakers.
“Using slang seems to promote common ground between the speakers,” he explained. “People use them if you want to indicate social closeness with each other.”
With the Australian Bureau of Statistics finding there has been a 13 per cent increase in job vacancies over the past 12 months, it’s important that organisations know how to make their entries stand out.
Recruiters have plenty of tools in their arsenal when it comes to attracting talent. Could an informal approach to the process help you?