Are you forever posting teaching vacancies but rarely getting applications from qualified candidates? It could be down to the fact that your job adverts aren’t up to scratch.
A well-crafted job advert is your golden ticket to attracting top teaching talent. It’s not just about listing duties anymore; it’s about painting a compelling picture that entices candidates to choose your opportunity over others. So, how do you write the perfect job advert that converts job seekers into active candidates? Here’s your step-by-step guide:
Highlight the school’s strengths and benefits of the role
Begin by showcasing what makes the school exceptional. Leading with the school’s stand-out points immediately elevates your job post. You could include:
- Ofsted rating
- Do they have an inspirational Head Teacher?
- State-of-the-art facilities
- School of excellence in a specific area
- School of religious character
- Additional classroom support available
- Strong leadership and good support
- Shared access to resources
- Good reputation
- Sensible policies and procedures
- CPD and progression opportunities from both the school and agency
Bring the school’s culture to life and the benefits of working through your agency
Teachers aren’t just seeking employment; they want to be part of a vibrant, supportive community. Use this section to vividly depict the school’s culture and what benefits they will see from working through your agency. Painting this picture helps candidates envision themselves thriving in that specific role but also how they will benefit working through you.
- What traditions or values define their school?
- How do they celebrate staff and student successes?
- How the school integrates long term supply staff?
- Evidence where a school has gone the extra mile for their long term supply staff (i.e paid candidates on snow days, included supply staff in CPD programmes)
- Include the benefits of working through you (i.e rates of pay, in depth client knowledge, managed recruitment process, continued support and guidance)
Unveil the role’s impact
Now delve into the role itself, but frame it in terms of the positive impact the candidate can make. Instead of just listing tasks, explain how their efforts will enrich students’ lives and shape the next generation. Describe opportunities for innovation and growth, particularly if the role could lead to a permanent position. Help them see this as more than just another contract.
Clarify next steps
End by clearly laying out what the application process looks like:
- How to apply, who to contact, what to expect for next steps
- Invite candidates to learn more by including links to the school and agency’s website
- Make it clear and easy for candidates to take the next step and what the on-boarding process will involve
How to ensure that your job is seen by as many candidates as possible
Incorporating plenty of keywords will help to ensure that your job advert gets in front of the right candidate pool. Aim to have keywords mentioned 3-5 times within the advert to optimise your views.
Here are 5 subheading examples to help you include keywords
- Teaching Assistant – Leeds
- Teaching Assistant benefits
- Teaching Assistant responsibilities
- How to apply for this Teaching Assistant role
- ‘Our client is looking for a Teaching Assistant…’
Here’s why including plenty of relevant keywords in your job ads is important:
- Ads with relevant keywords attract 2.3 times more qualified applicants (LinkedIn)
- Optimised postings lead to a 30% shorter time-to-fill positions (Glassdoor)
- Keywords increase visibility, with up to 5 times more clicks on targeted postings (Jobvite)
Implement inclusive language
Inclusive job adverts are not just about compliance; they’re about creating a level playing field where everyone feels welcome. By using inclusive language and accessible formatting, you attract diverse teaching talent and reduce unconscious bias.
By following this structure and incorporating these tips, you’ll write winning job descriptions that attract top teaching talent!
