How to Make Your LinkedIn Job Posting Stand Out

We all know how tough the job market is these days for both prospective candidates and organizations themselves. So, how can you attract top talent? Utilizing social media to fill your positions can make a world of difference. Stick around for valuable insights into what top hiring professionals are doing to bring in winners, and you’ll be creating powerfully fruitful LinkedIn job listings in no time.

Clarity & Transparency

The first thing that all job listers should know is that job posts need to be clear and should communicate all relevant and factual details. This may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how often busy bosses neglect to take the time needed to craft the ideal messaging for interested parties.

A well-crafted job post should be clear, concise, and engaging. Provide potential candidates with all the necessary information while showcasing your company's unique culture and values. Utilizing strong keywords and an inviting tone can help your posting stand out. 

Here are four things LinkedIn says every job posting should include to ensure clarity and transparency:

• Comprehensive Details: Ensure your job post includes the job title, responsibilities, qualifications, job type (e.g., full-time, part-time, contract, etc.), and information about the employer. This includes the company’s physical address or contact details, a valid website, and a valid email associated with the company domain (if applicable).

(Random Note: Please note that pay transparency is now a requirement for job postings in many states. Find your state's requirements here.)

• Clarity and Precision: The job post must clearly define the role, avoiding ambiguous job responsibilities and qualifications. Be concise yet detailed, enabling job seekers to understand exactly what the job entails.

• Transparency for Unpaid Opportunities: If the position is a volunteer, internship, or otherwise unpaid opportunity, clearly state these details along with the relevant expectations in the job post.

• Primary Location Visibility: Make the primary location of the role plainly visible within the job description. Indicate any requirements or conditions for relocation and travel. Note: The user posting the job does not need to be in the same location as the primary location of the role.

Kindness & Inclusivity

LinkedIn does not permit any kind of discrimination based on protected characteristics, including age, gender, gender identity, religion, ethnicity, race, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected under law. While you may be inclined to think you are incapable of holding exclusive preferences or letting them come across in your writing, it is important to pay close attention to the language used in your listing to ensure that your wording cannot be misunderstood as favoring one race, gender, age, etc. over another.

It is important to note, however, that “​​in a jurisdiction where it is legally permissible to do so, LinkedIn may permit language in posts expressing preference for members of certain groups historically disadvantaged in hiring in that location.” This maintains the idea of inclusivity by not shutting out anyone in particular, but encouraging unrepresented individuals not to limit themselves based on past experiences.

The Secret Sauce (According to LinkedIn)

So now that you’ve ensured you are abiding by LinkedIn’s standards, how do you make the content stand out effectively? Some pro tips from everyone’s favorite professional social media platform include:

• Add key skills needed for the position in the “Add skills” field after you’ve posted your job.

• You may hire multiple candidates for the same role, but cannot use one job post for multiple roles. For example, you may say you’re "Hiring for 5 Data Scientists" but cannot say "Hiring for a Data Scientist and Marketing Manager."

• Link to your company's LinkedIn Page by choosing your company name from the dropdown list. Describe your company if it's not well known.

• List any benefits or special perks, like 401k, flex time, or stock options in the Job Description field.

• Make sure your coworkers are using LinkedIn so they can share job posts with people in their networks.

• Use a job description template to get started and stand out to a potential hire.

• Post your job using the company’s email domain to gain more trust with applicants.

• Avoid asking for personal information (such as photos or ID information) upfront in the application, as applicants should not be asked to give out such information before they even apply.

• Use between 500-600 words in your job description to create a high-performing job post.

Organic Connection

Beyond LinkedIn’s job posting feature, leveraging organic posts can amplify your reach and engagement. Sharing job openings through company updates, employee networks, and relevant LinkedIn groups while incorporating rich media such as images and videos can significantly enhance visibility and interest. Combining these strategies ensures a broader and more effective approach to talent acquisition on LinkedIn.

Some qualities of an effective organic job post include:

• Popular job-related hashtags like “#Hiring”, “#CareerOpportunity”, or “#JoinOurTeam” have proven helpful in attracting talent and getting more eyes on your content.
• Creating eye-catching, elevated imagery or video content to represent your open position can help you stand out in a sea of opportunities as a company that is intentional and detail-oriented.
• Photos of real employees or stock imagery representing the average employee can position you as a trusted, safe space to grow and develop your skills over the average corporate job.
• If you do not have time/do not wish to include any unique imagery in your organic post about a job opening, be sure to include a link to your LinkedIn job posting in your caption. This will create a link that will take job seekers directly to your listing to view the opportunity and apply in whatever way you have made available.

Additionally, engaging with your LinkedIn community through regular content updates and interactions can further boost your recruitment efforts. By posting thought leadership articles, industry insights, and company achievements, you can keep your network informed and attract passive candidates who are interested in your company's vision and culture. Encouraging employees to share job openings and company news on their personal profiles can exponentially increase your posts' reach.

This holistic approach of combining job postings, organic content, and employee advocacy can create a compelling presence on LinkedIn that draws in high-quality candidates.

Make Your Move

Getting your job postings to stand out on LinkedIn requires a combination of clarity, transparency, and strategic use of organic content. By meticulously detailing job responsibilities and qualifications, ensuring inclusivity, and leveraging the platform's features to highlight your company's unique culture and values, you can attract the right candidates for your next big hiring decision. By following these best practices and strategies, you'll not only enhance your talent acquisition efforts but also establish a strong, appealing presence on LinkedIn, making your company a desirable place to work for top talent.

At That RANDOM Agency, we utilize two of our core values – curiosity and collaboration – to bring you consistent content helping you learn about the great digital landscape and how to operate like a boss within it. Check out our other blog posts on our Random Thoughts page or schedule a discovery call today!

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