You’re savvy. You search the internet for recruiting tips, you read this blog. Let’s face it — when it comes to social recruiting, you’re ahead of most employers already!

But, being as awesome as you are, I’m sure you’re always striving to be just a little bit more awesome with your recruiting. Writing better job posts is a great way to do that.

As with any endeavor, learning by example is one of the best ways to improve your job post writing skills! Researching what fantastic recruiters do, when constructing job posts for their own clients, is an awesome way to pick up some new job post writing hacks.

Check out these links for some great ideas you can use yourself:

“Want to spend three months coding and learning in New York with smart, friendly, and intellectually curious people? Read on...” - The entire Hacker School website is a perfect job post. It’s let’s the candidate know exactly what to expect, what’s expected of them, and delivers both messages in an excited, positive fashion, without ever sounding smarmy or annoying. The force is strong with these guys!

This agency wanted to attract creative people, so instead of just writing a job post, the used a cartoon. The cartoon also acts as a warning to potential candidates about just how motley the crew they are applying to join is; which is a great way to ensure those who do apply are a good cultural fit!

Last year this incredible recruiting campaign threatened imminent brain drain on all European countries! The campaign won several awards and was highly successful. But, it’s Atlassian’s awesome example of a career site I think you should mimic. They've created a slideshow that explains to candidates exactly why they ought to apply in a series of steps.Their descriptions are informative, short and sweet, enticing, funny, and represent the companies values to a tee.

An equally awesome, yet often underutilized technique, is to scour the internet for the WORST job posts ever written. Try to identify anything your own posts may have in common with them, and then expunge those similarities with extreme prejudice (yes, Jerry, I did just quote Apocalypse Now in a blog about recruiting. It isn't called the ‘war for talent’ for nothing!).

Now for some examples of what not to do, EVER. Or I will cry. And give you a look of disappointment that rivals anything your mother has ever thrown your way!

The specific job posting by the Dalkey Archive Press has been removed. This was a very good move on their part considering that the New York Observer called it the “Worst Job Post Ever”. Here’s a little taste:

“The successful applicant will not have any other commitments (personal or professional) that will interfere with their work at the Press (family obligations, writing, involvement with other organizations, degrees to be finished, holidays to be taken, weddings to attend in Rio, etc.)”

How could any candidate possibly resist?!

This next link is to an article by management today that showcases 10 amazing job ads. Some of them are amazingly good, like the one by Poke London, but we are in the negative example section of this blog post, the job post I want you to check out first, is amazingly bad.

The ad is for a personal assistant to a fellow named William. It does not require the candidate to send a resume, only personal photos. The candidate should be single, with no kids, and be willing to travel with William to romantic locations. The ad includes ten photos of William. TEN. This guy exists.

Oh, and last but not least, there’s this: