What do prospective employees look for in an employment ad before applying?

By Heather Nezich, courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASE

A new survey from Glassdoor, one of the world’s largest job and recruiting sites, reveals that the key pieces of information that job seekers and workers in the U.S. look for when researching job ads are salaries (67%) and benefits (63%). In addition, 59% U.S. workers/job seekers say that location is one of their top considerations, while 43% look for commute time.  The survey also explores the differences in men and women when job hunting.

Offering attractive benefits and perks is a key factor for enticing prospective employees. When asked what would make them more likely to apply for a job at a company, nearly half of U.S. workers/job seekers (48%) cited attractive benefits and perks (e.g., gym memberships, paid time off, etc.), followed closely by a convenient, easy commute (47%). 
When it comes to what prospective employees look for when assessing long-term potential as an employer, 44% report company transparency on pay and benefits. 

“Job seekers crave transparency on pay, not only to make an initial judgement about whether to consider applying for a job, but also to assess if an employer holds long term potential for them,” said Julie Coucoules, Glassdoor’s Global Head of Talent Acquisition. “Quality candidates are typically well-researched and go beyond job ads to look for a richer set of background data that includes benefits and employee reviews, among other specific traits about an employer. This means that employers should make information available to job candidates proactively, or they risk missing out on quality candidates applying.”

How do Men and Women Differ?
Just as it’s important for those in HR and recruitment to understand what information is important to job seekers and how job seekers are making decisions about a company, they must also consider how audiences may differ in how they research jobs and what is important to them. For example, 49% of women indicate that the option to work from home would make them more likely to apply to a job, while only 35% of men would be enticed by a company that offered work from home flexibility.
Men and women also demonstrate differences when it comes to what they look for when assessing long-term potential as an employee. Nearly half (48%) of females report company transparency on pay and benefits as important information for assessing long-term potential at a company, compared to just 40% of men. 

To increase your candidate pool, try increasing the transparency in your employment ads.  Potential employees scrutinize companies even before applying. If left wondering, they are likely to move on to another, more descriptive ad.