It can be frustrating when you are urgently trying to fill a role and your job listing isn't getting enough applicants. When that happens, it's time to take a close look at your job and figure out what might be going wrong. That's where a Job Audit comes in; which is just a term to mean evaluating different parts of your job listing and hiring strategy to make sure your job is as visible and appealing as possible. This guide gives hiring managers a step-by-step plan to find and fix common problems that might be keeping people from applying.


What Hiring Managers Can Do:


  • Is the job Ready to be Refreshed?

  • Check Job Board Settings

    • Free Job Board Toggle: Ensure the free job board toggle is enabled both account-wide and for individual job listings. More on how to do that can be found here: Posting Your Job to Free Job Boards

    • Visibility on Job Boards

    • Visit job board websites and search for your listing. Assess how easy it is to find your job. If it’s buried or not showing up, keep reading the following suggestions to see what adjustments might improve its visibility.

  • Job Title and Description

    • Job Title: You may be tempted to give your job title a unique name, but doing so will make it harder for potential applicants to find when they search by keywords. Ensure it is clear, concise, and follows industry standards. 

    • Job Description: Is it attractive and engaging? Are you highlighting the most important details in a bullet list at the top? This will not only allow applicants to get a snapshot of your job details but will make it easier for the job board bot crawlers to collect the correct data for the job (full vs part-time, remote vs on-site, etc).

    • Please see the section below, called "Additional Tips for Writing an Outstanding Job Description" for more on this subject.

  • Location

    • Assess the job's location and consider if there is a nearby larger market that could improve visibility and attract more applicants. If your job is located 20 minutes away from a major city, consider either adding an additional listing in that area or updating your job location to reflect that larger market. 

    • Job location is one of the most frequently requested details for a job description from applicants, and ideally has the most precision possible. Utilize all location fields in the job Create/Edit page to optimize the way this info is sent to job boards. Recent Indeed data shows that jobs with street address information receive 24% more apply starts on average than those without.

  • Job Listing Age

    • Refresh your job listings every 30 days to keep them current and more visible. Note: Some job boards do not allow a refresh, so this will not work universally.

  • Application Process

    • Express Applications: Not all jobs are suited for Express Apply but many are. If it's not already enabled, consider toggling ON this feature to streamline the application process. You can find more info about that feature here: Applications: Express Applications

    • Form Builder Questions: While utilizing Form Builder questions will allow you to knock out any applicants who don't meet minimum qualifications, an overly extensive application form will cause an applicant to simply walk away before they finish applying. Consider keeping your questions to a minimum. Please note: if Express Apply is enabled, some applicants will bypass your Form Builder questions. 

  • Application Testing

    • Apply to your job from various job boards to ensure that the application process is smooth and that applicants are correctly directed to your account. If your test application does not arrive in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), make sure you have not posted the job directly to the site, which will prevent applicants from being collected in the ATS. 

  • Paid Job Advertisements

    • If you're currently not paying someone to do the job, consider using part of the salary budget to promote the listing through paid job advertisements. This can significantly boost visibility and attract more qualified applicants. More info on those options can be found in the following articles:

    • What paid job boards are available?

    • Posting Jobs to Paid Boards

  • Employee Referral Program 

    • Encourage your current employees to refer candidates by offering incentives. Employee referrals can be a valuable source of high-quality applicants and the ATS makes it super easy to do so. Please see: How does the Referral Program work? for more info.

  • AI Tools

    • Consider running your job listing through an AI tool for suggestions on how to improve it. This can be hit or miss, so take all suggestions with a grain of salt! 


How the Support Team Can Help:


The Support Team has a couple of tricks up their sleeves as well, so we're happy to check on the following items for you. Please open a support ticket and request that we evaluate the following:


  • XML Feeds

    • Free job listings are sent over to the various job boards via an XML feed. We can check those feeds to ensure the job is being pushed to the job boards properly.

  • Industry-Specific Job Boards

    • Not all Industries have specific job boards, but many do. Let us help you identify and recommend any job boards that cater specifically to your industry and/or geographic area.


Additional Tips for Writing an Outstanding Job Description:


  • Pay Rate: 

    • Use the Salary field when creating your job to clearly state the pay range. For more on why this information is vital, please see: The How & Why of the Salary Field

  • Benefits/Perks: 

    • Consider using bullet points to list these clearly, which will better highlight the way your job should be more desirable to the applicant than similar jobs to which they might apply.

  • Role Expectations: 

    • Distinguish between must-have skills from those that can be learned on the job and clearly state the difference. Some of your best applicants will shy away from a role if they think they are not 100% qualified for it. When you make it clear you can train applicants in specific tasks, they are more likely to apply. 

  • Competitor Expectations: 

    • Research what your competitors require for similar roles and consider if your expectations make you more or less attractive to applicants.

  • Keyword Optimization

    • Use relevant keywords in your job title and description that potential applicants are likely to search for. This can improve the job listing's search engine optimization (SEO) on job boards. Some job boards also utilize hashtags, so get those in there as well!

  • Company Culture and Values

    • Highlight your company culture and values. Applicants are often looking for a good cultural fit, so providing insights into what it's like to work at your company can be appealing.

  • Flexible Work Options

    • Clearly state any flexible work options, such as remote work opportunities, flexible hours, or hybrid models. Flexibility can be a significant attractor for many candidates.

  • Employee Testimonials

    • Incorporate testimonials or quotes from current employees about their experiences working at your company. This adds a personal touch and can help build trust with potential applicants. Make sure these quotes come from current employees that applicants can speak to if they make it to a Culture Fit Interview.


Even more tips can be found here: Tips for increasing qualified applicant traffic for your job posting.


By following these steps, hiring managers can significantly improve the performance of their job listings and attract more qualified applicants. If further assistance is needed, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team.