Little Interest in an Open Position? 9 Tips for Increasing the Number of Applications

Welcome to Recruiter Q&A, where we pose employment-related questions to the experts and share their answers!

Today’s Question: If you’re facing a lack of interest in one of your open positions, what’s one thing you can do to increase the number of applications coming in? Why does this work so well?

These answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization composed of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs.

1. Test Different Job Titles

We’ve hired project managers by posting jobs for “account management,” “product management” and even “operations management.” Consider potential applicants. Your job requirements may either be over the top or appear to be targeting junior roles instead of more experienced ones. — Mario Peshev, DevriX

2. “Sell” Your Company

Oftentimes it comes down to “selling your company” to the applicant in order to get them to apply. Putting information about your company’s culture, the benefits you offer and what sets your company apart at the beginning of the job post will get applicants more interested in the job itself. — Roman Smolevskiy, A+ Construction Pro

3. Warm Up Your Tone

There are a few ways to increase the number of applications for open positions. One solid first step to take is to adjust the job posting to make it more appealing to your ideal potential applicants. Although the wording of the job posting may describe the work accurately, often these precise descriptions can sound stodgy and uninviting. Warming up the tone can make all the difference. — Richard Fong, Assured Standard

4. Start an Employee Referral Program

You can improve your number of applicants by starting an employee referral program. We reward our employees and their referrals for joining our company. This program has worked well for us. Currently, over half of our new hires are referrals from long-time team members. — Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights

5. Post to a Targeted Platform

One way to increase the number of applications is by advertising on a specific platform that appeals to a specific audience. For example, if you’re looking for someone who is interested in technology, you could create an advertisement on a tech job board that shows how much experience they would have with technology. — Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC

6. Promote Your Flexibility

Flexibility is a huge attraction, especially in today’s market. If your company provides the option of remote or hybrid work, this can be a big draw for many applicants. Being open to this and including it in your job post will definitely increase the number of applications coming in. Additionally, the best talent can apply and work from anywhere, so it broadens your pool of applicants. — Brian David Crane, Spread Great Ideas

7. Include a Salary Range

In the midst of the Great Resignation, folks want money. If you can’t include a specific amount — which is better — at least include an idea of what a candidate can expect to make. Bonus points if you highlight benefits as well, which are the same as money. — Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

8. Focus on Eye-Catching Language

Change the title. Draw in the applicant. “Position open for mass communications” probably won’t draw in as many people as, “This is your chance to deliver amazing stories to incredible people in a fast-paced environment. We are a young startup experiencing massive growth with an exciting position available.” — Mary Harcourt, CosmoGlo

9. Rethink Your Keywords

Reassess the job posting and conduct keyword research. Oftentimes, these platforms that allow you to post an open position are looking for keywords and tags that they can associate with a criteria. Once you’re able to make these simple adjustments, the platform algorithm should display the job post to more suitable candidates. — Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC

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