The starting point for any recruitment effort for jobs placement in the meat and livestock industry is a well-written job posting – but it’s not always easy to successfully communicate the right message to attract the right candidates.

The key to attracting top talent is in creating a job posting that not only gets noticed, but entices more candidates to apply.

Here are ten easy tips to keep in mind next time you are seeking to fill a job vacancy:

1) Keep your job title simple
“Bronco Buster”, may be tempting to use, but creative job titles can keep you out of search results. You’ll attract more candidates by keeping your job title as simple as possible. Stick to industry norms that people are likely to use in a job search.

2) Keep the job title short
Sometimes you’ll see a job title that is actually a description of the job. (“Think you're a top hand? This is a great opportunity for driven individuals!!!”). This takes away from your company’s credibility, and lowers your ranking in a search result. Think about simple, industry-standard titles, and save the hard-sell for your description.

3) Put yourself in a job seeker's shoes
It may sound obvious, but take some time to look at what other businesses and competitors say in their job descriptions. Research shows that people don’t look past page four of their search results, so take the time to think about what people logically search for.

4) Give as much information as possible
Take the time to fill in as many available criteria as possible. These include things like job type, company, location, industry, years of experience, and education level. Answering as many of these as you're able will help boost your visibility. If you have a more detailed job description that you would like to share, include it as a link from your job posting so that you can keep the actual post concise. Ensure that the link is relevant to the job and not just a link to your website.

5) Compete for the best candidates
A lot of people browsing jobs online are employed, and just window shopping for the right opportunity. It takes more than just an open position to attract these candidates—you’ve got to provide some of the benefits or unique selling points in order to entice that top talent.
What is it that makes your business attractive to a candidate? Is it the location of the position? i.e. join our team on Riveren and Inverway Stations in the beautiful Victoria River district of the Northern Territory. Is it a unique benefits package? i.e. onsite accommodation and meals provided, above award rates available to suitable candidates. Remember: Employed candidates are looking for those small but meaningful differences in a new opportunity. Even just a sentence or two can make a big difference.

6) Consider social media
A company blog, Facebook fan page, or Twitter feed can be an easy look into a company’s culture. Even the smallest of businesses have some kind of an online presence, so consider including it so candidates can explore further.

7) Avoid acronyms and internal language
People respond to clear, easy-to-read language. Avoid acronyms and technical language. The biggest mistake that people make when writing a job posting is using internal lingo that is unlikely to be understood outside an organisation.

8) Define qualifications
Clearly state the necessary qualifications for your job posting such as education, years of experience, or certifications/ tickets/ licenses. Even better is to create a list that differentiates necessary qualifications from “nice- to-haves”.

9) How to apply
Clearly state how and when a candidate should apply for the position, and provide an email address and an application deadline. Be as specific as possible about the details, including the format you prefer to find receive resumes, and note if a cover letter is expected.

10) Proofread your posting
This is the first impression you’re making with candidates, so grammatical errors or spelling mistakes make your organisation look unprofessional. Proofread your posting twice, read something else, then proofread it again. When in doubt, there is no better spellcheck than a second set of eyes. Ask your colleague or friend to scan it over.

• If you’re unsure about the recruitment process, specialist short and long-term staffing business, AWX Agribusiness, is able to assist with your recruitment needs.
• To access the latest listings on Beef Central's 'Jobs Central' recruitment page, click here, or look for the Jobs Central clickable link on the top right of the home page.