Job ads that attract good people (and repel time-wasters)

The best candidates are usually employed and reading quickly. Your ad has about fifteen seconds.

Post the salary Ads with a salary or a range consistently draw more qualified applicants. Hiding it filters for people with no other options, not for people who will negotiate low.

Cut the requirements list Ten "essential" requirements is a wish list. Strong candidates self-reject; weaker ones apply anyway. Name the three things the person must be able to do in month one.

Describe the first 90 days What will this person own, who will they work with, and what does success look like at the end of the quarter? That is more persuasive than any culture paragraph.

Be honest about the hard parts Legacy systems, an on-call rota, a team being rebuilt — say it. Candidates who accept it anyway stay.

Reply to everyone A two-line rejection costs nothing and protects the employer brand you spend money on.