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Advertising Guidance

Advert Library

Please click on any of the links below to view model advertisements. These advertisements are from real vacancies. The library of adverts will continue to be added to as more examples become available.


Before you advertise

Please consider whether it is necessary to fill the vacant post, has the role changed, what duties will be required of the post holder and what knowledge, qualifications, skills and experience are required to undertake the post (see job description and person specification).

Once you have reviewed the job description and person specification and you have the required authorisation you can then move to advertising the post. This is usually done both internally and externally simultaneously, using appropriate media.

When is it appropriate not to advertise

There are some circumstances in which it is appropriate to advertise internally only. For example a secondment, an acting up opportunity, or where an existing employee is subject to redeployment. If you wish to advertise internally only you must discuss this with your HR partner.

There are exceptional circumstances in which it would be inappropriate or unnecessary to advertise a post and in which cases the relevant HR Partner should be consulted prior to filling the vacancy.

Process for advertising

All advertisements are placed through HR.

The departmental contact should forward a draft advertisement via email to the HR Assistant. Broadly speaking The Guardian and Times Higher Education are recommended for Academic and Related posts. Local papers are recommended for Clerical, Secretarial and Manual posts. Jobs.ac.uk is also a very useful website as it attracts a very good response especially for research roles. All advertised vacancies will be placed automatically on the University's website. Departments may also use email discussion lists.

Once the relevant grading and funding have been agreed, please refer to the advertising deadlines.

Timescales

There should not be a lengthy period of time between the closing date, short listing and interview dates as applicants may lose interest or find alternative employment. Equally there needs to be at least two weeks from when the short list reaches and the date of interview see the service level agreement. This allows applicants to make their arrangements and for receipt of references.

Deadlines for advertisements

Adherence to the deadlines shown below should, under normal circumstances, be sufficient to ensure that an advertisement appears as planned. Earlier notifications will be required to guarantee insertion and/or request specific page position.

Please provide electronic copies of advertisements to your HR Assistant

FREQUENTLY USED PUBLICATIONS

Publication Publication Day Deadline for receipt of advertisement
Guardian Tuesday Midday Tuesday prior to publication.
Guardian Wednesday Midday Wednesday prior to publication
Lancashire Evening Post Thursday Midday Friday prior to publication
New Scientist Thursday Midday Tuesday week prior to publication
Lancaster Guardian Friday Midday Friday prior to publication
THES Friday Midday Wednesday week prior to publication
Westmoreland Gazette Friday Midday Friday prior to publication
Sunday Times Sunday Midday Friday week prior to publication

Under-representation and positive action

In departments where women, ethnic minorities, people in certain age groups and people with disabilities are under-represented in a similar post to that being advertised, consideration should be given to including in the advert a statement inviting applicants from these groups. Your HR Assistant will be able to advise on appropriate wording.

Costs

The Department / Faculty are required to meet the cost of all advertisements from their departmental budget.

Composite advertisements

It is University policy to amalgamate vacancies into a composite advert in order to increase impact and reduce overall cost.

Writing the advertisement

The following are points to consider when drafting an advertisement:

  • The advertisement is the first impression of the University and the department for potential applicants' so you need to emphasise the key selling points.
  • The aim is to attract interest and applications only from the pool of candidates who meet the criteria for the post. A well written advert should therefore help to deter unsuitable applicants.
  • Put the most important facts first. Someone browsing adverts will typically spend less than one second on each.
  • Focus on what is different about the post, not what the reader will already know. They will know what an Accountant or cleaner does.
  • The essential and the most important of the desirable criteria as outlined in the Person Specification must be consistent with the content of the advertisement.
  • The advertisement should be structured so that it is clear, eye-catching and written in plain English, avoiding unnecessary jargon.
  • The essential qualities of good copy are clarity, brevity and simplicity.

The advertisement must not include any unjustifiable requirement or condition, which would have the effect of discriminating generally against a group of the population in favour of another. The HR Assistant will advise on non-discriminatory text if required.

The Recruitment team will add a standard paragraph about the method of application and the University's Equal Opportunities statement. The team may edit your copy but will ask you to check and provide feedback as appropriate.

Knowing your audience

Knowing your target population can greatly increase the effectiveness of your advertisement. Put yourself in their shoes and think about the right language and style to make your message quickly understood and attractive to them and which media they use.

Do not use jargon common only to HE as it might reinforce current imbalances and discourage suitable applicants from outside the sector.

Hard to fill vacancies

Think carefully how to attract and widen the limited pool of potential applicants available to you. Someone with a specialist skill can pick and choose their opportunities. Are they likely to come from within or outside the sector? If outside, the benefits we offer in terms of annual leave and pension may be significantly better than the sector they know. What are the unique selling points of working at a University and more specifically here? You may need to consider advertising in a wide range of media in order to attract a big enough pool to select from. By adjusting your requirements you may attract a wider field.

Get to the point

If a job is challenging, say so. If it's exciting, say how, illustrate briefly. It should be 'exciting being part of a development initiative aimed at widening participation'. Try to capture the key messages in the series of short statements that flow and carry the reader's attention through to the end. Related items should be grouped together.

When writing an advertisement the following tips will assist:

Avoid Saying Say/Be Specific
The successful applicant/candidate You ('you' is the most powerful word in advertising)
The person appointed will You will
Starting salary will be commensurate with experience & qualifications State the salary in figures - do not be misleading
We are seeking to appoint The use of this is redundant
Applications are invited for the above post/the post of The use of this is redundant
After reorganising the section we now need a person Avoid stating the obvious
Qualifications & experience desirable but not essential State the specific essential and desirable criteria that are relevant to the post
Good standard of education State the specific educational requirements of the post: if relevant, possession of % GCSE's at Grade C or above or equivalent. Narrow requirements may screen out suitable candidates. If they need a standard of numeracy or literacy, include that instead.
Past/previous experience should include All experience is in the past. Experience should include
Future plans All plans are in the future.
We require You will have

Potential discriminatory language

Dynamic, energetic, mature, young graduates, new blood, up to date. All may constitute unintended age discrimination depending on the context.
Male/Female; Fit/Able-bodied These terms constitute direct sex/disability discrimination. Use 'you will.....'

 

Avoid saying Say/Be specific
Must be six feet tall State the specific requirements of the post e.g. able to lift and carry equipment
Must speak and/or write excellent English The requirement to speak and/or write excellent English will not be necessary for all posts (e.g. Kitchen Assistant). The unjustifiable use of this requirement may indirectly discriminate against certain minority ethnic groups.
Waiter/Waitress/Handyman etc These job titles could indicate an intention to discriminate in favour of one gender. Replace with Dining Room Assistant, Handyperson.
Must have a clean, full driving licence. Discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010 unless it is specifically a post that requires driving. Seek advice from your HR Assistant.

Make sure the job description and person specification reflect the job and they are consistent with the advertisement.

Produce a first draft and look at it from the perspective of the job seekers and ask yourself:

- If I saw this advertisement, would I be encouraged to find out more?
- Do I get a feel that employees are valued, that I'd get a chance to contribute?
- Does the tone seem remote, over formal or bureaucratic?
- Visually, does it appear as a lot of tightly packed text?

June 2009

Lancaster University
Bailrigg
LancasterLA1 4YW United Kingdom
+44 (0) 1524 65201