Read ten random job ads side by side. Chances are you won't be able to tell them apart after a while.
Each company is dynamic, each team is young and driven, and each position offers growth opportunities in an organisation in full swing. And the salary? That is market-based, of course.
The intention is usually right.But the harder you try to sound attractive, the faster you fall into a vacancy that no longer says anything.The candidate reads the vacancy, can't picture it and clicks on or applies with totally wrong expectations and drops out after the first interview.
For employers, this translates into conversations that go nowhere, candidates dropping out after the first contact and a lot of lost time due to the wrong match.
Job vacancies are often the first thing a candidate sees of a company. And yet they rarely represent how the company really works.
What do candidates really want to know?
A Belgian research firm surveying young people's labour market perceptions surveyed 2,000 people between 18 and 30 on how they discover and rate employers.We take you through the insights.
For candidates, these 3 factors are extremely important:
- Clarity about the job and expectations
- Transparency on salary and benefits
- Company culture
In addition, candidates appreciate genuine, authentic communication. Polished, unrealistic descriptions are an instant turn-off.
By the way, this is not even generational. Both experienced professionals and younger candidates expect clarity.
Honesty as a strategy
Those who hesitate to be honest about job content forget one thing: a candidate who drops out on an honest description was probably not the right match after all.
What we see in practice: when a candidate comes in well-informed, the application process is smoother and more focused. Both parties know where they stand. There are no surprises about what the job entails, how the company works or what the remuneration is. That makes the interview more efficient and the chances of a lasting match a lot higher.
An honest job posting is not only better for the candidate. It is also smarter for the company.
You attract the right people:
Those who see that the job or salary does not fit will drop out earlier, and that is fine. Better that than a conversation that leads nowhere.
You save time in the process:
Fewer misunderstandings at a later stage means a more efficient journey for everyone.
You enhance your reputation as an employer:
Openness is a signal of trust. Candidates remember that, even if they don't end up applying.
You increase retention:
Candidates who know what they are getting into get in stronger and stay longer. The reverse is also true: those who start with wrong expectations are gone faster.
Three reflexes you can break
Here are some practical tips:
- Loon: just say it
“Attractive salary with numerous benefits” says nothing. What benefits are these? Provide a realistic pay scale so candidates know what to expect.
- Job description: be specific
“You answer phones and emails”. From whom? Complaint handling or commercial follow-up? That's a world of difference. Sketch a day in this person's life.
- Company: dare to be concrete
Every company is dynamic, young and has an open culture. Those words have been used so often that they still mean little. What makes your approach different in practice? How are decisions made? That kind of information helps someone assess whether the job fits.
And that is exactly what we at CTRL-F are committed to: bringing the right people to the table. This often starts with how a job posting is written.
And we like to think along with you in that too. From a sharp job description to an honest story about your company.
Do you think your job ads could be more honest and concrete? Or are you curious to know how other companies in your sector do it? Feel free to send us a message, we would love to think along with you 📩
