If your inbox is full of unsuitable applications — or worse, nearly empty — the problem is almost always the ad itself. Not the market, not the platform, not the time of year. The ad.
Most job ads describe the role. They list duties, requirements, and qualifications. They tell candidates what the company needs. What they rarely do is give a skilled, employed professional a compelling reason to stop what they're doing and apply.
That distinction matters more than most hiring managers realise — because the best candidates for your role are almost certainly not actively looking. They're employed, reasonably comfortable, and not browsing job boards at midnight. To move them, you need to do more than list responsibilities.
The fundamental problem with most job ads
Duty lists. That's the core issue. "Reporting to the Operations Manager, you will be responsible for..." followed by eight bullet points tells a candidate exactly what they'll be doing for you. It says nothing about why the role is worth their time, what kind of environment they'll be working in, or what opportunity it represents for them.
A skilled trades professional with options reads that ad and moves on in under 30 seconds.
The best job ads aren't job descriptions with a salary attached. They're invitations — specific, honest, and written for the person you actually want to hire.
What a strong job ad actually needs
1. A real opening line
Not "We are a leading provider of..." Not "An exciting opportunity has arisen..." Start with something specific that speaks directly to the kind of person you want. "If you've spent years maintaining heavy equipment and you're ready to step into a team that actually invests in its people — read on." That's more work than a generic opener, and it works significantly better.
2. Honest context about the role
Why is the role available? Is it growth, a backfill, a restructure? Candidates are going to ask anyway — being upfront about it builds trust from the first touchpoint. If it's a difficult environment, say so and say why it's still worth taking. Candidates who self-select based on accurate information make better hires.
3. What's actually in it for them
Not just salary. What does the team look like? What's the leadership style? Is there genuine career progression or is this a lateral move? What's the equipment or technology they'll be working with? The more specific you are about what makes this role worth taking, the more you attract people who are motivated by the right things — not just whoever needs a job.
4. A realistic requirements list
Long lists of "must have" requirements filter out good candidates who don't tick every box but would be excellent in the role. Think about what is genuinely non-negotiable versus what you can train or develop. Keep the hard requirements short and honest.
When the ad alone isn't enough
Here's the harder truth: for many trades, technical, and specialist roles, a well-written job ad will still not reach your best candidate. Because your best candidate isn't looking.
The passive talent market — professionals who are employed, not responding to ads, and not visible to your competitors — is where most strong hires come from in skill-short sectors. Reaching them requires direct outreach, established relationships, and the kind of market presence that comes from years of consistent engagement. That's not something a job ad can do.
If you're finding that your ads aren't producing the shortlist you need, the answer isn't a better-written ad. It's a different sourcing strategy — one that starts with the candidate, not the platform.
If you'd like to talk through your specific situation, I'm happy to have that conversation. There's no obligation — just a practical discussion about what your market looks like and what's likely to work.