Job solicitations released by Human Resources are an important part of brand messaging. For this reason, in well-developed companies, Communications often provides some level of support to HR.

A good job solicitation, which employs Communications best practices, has several positive effects. The most obvious effect is that a well-written solicitation increases the likelihood that a technically qualified candidate will be found. The other effects are less obvious, but are important to securing top-flight employees and creating a strong corporate culture. Here are some pertinent thoughts.

Don’t just find a qualified candidate; find a superior candidate.

Good job solicitations go beyond the expression of technical requirements, chain of command, compensation level, etc. The solicitation should further pre-qualify potential candidates by expressing a vision of the corporate culture that is integrated into the required qualities for candidates. This increases the likelihood of hiring a superior candidate.

Good job solicitations are marketing material.

Good solicitations are marketing material. Every time one of your solicitations is released, you are touching a large talent pool. Most of these people will never work for your company, but one of them will be hired now, some of them may be hired in the future, and others may be in companies that partner with or purchase from your company. Well written solicitations are clear and persuasive: “We are a good company, we know exactly what we need in the people that we hire, and we know how to use their abilities to maximum effect.”

Distributing solicitations internally helps to achieve maximum success.

Companies also benefit from using internal solicitation distribution mechanisms, for these reasons:

• Internal distribution increases referrals. (“If you know of excellent candidates, make sure they put themselves forward.”)
• Worthy candidates within the company can be identified. The best candidate might already be “in the system”.
• This creates an internal channel by which your staff is exposed to your marketing message.

There may be occasions when it is appropriate to prepare a separate solicitation draft for internal release. Some information that might be inappropriate for public release will help to better qualify the position for internal staff.

An inch wide, and a mile deep: specificity is both attractive and memorable.

Some HR personnel might be concerned that stating requirements too specifically or too rigorously decreases the chances of finding a qualified candidate. However, the more common outcome is that the solicitation becomes attractive because of its specificity. The most qualified candidates like to believe that the organization already knows how to utilize the position properly. Fail to give that impression, and you will miss opportunities.

The Result: Improved Outcomes

The desired outcome of the hiring process is not merely to fill a position, but to continue to increase or maintain a standard of excellence, guaranteeing vitality in the corporate culture. Using Communications best practices and skills within the HR process helps to guarantee this outcome.

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