Today’s hiring market is heating back up with strong competition for good employees, especially in growing sectors, says Suzan Sturholm of All Things HR, a hiring consultant in Lynnwood.

Creative employment ads can make your position stand out, especially if the job is challenging to fill. T

hese placement ads should be a reflection of company culture. If the company is funky and creative, the ad should be too. If the company itself is more conservative, then an off-the-wall ad could provide the job seeker with unrealistic corporate expectations.

To catch the attention of top candidates, whether written creatively or more conventionally, ads must not only attract interest but actually motivate the job seeker to act on the opportunity, providing clear instructions for next steps.

The creative and eye-catching ad must convey the organization’s external image and messaging with consistency. Text and layout should be simple, clear and communicate essential points quickly. Company branding can be beneficial but it should not dominate the ad.

Well-written, creative job placement ads attract higher-caliber, more fully qualified candidates who will directly stimulate organizational performance.

In order to begin drafting the job placement ad, the recruiter must have a well-written, fully articulated job description. These foundational job descriptions should be in place for every single position within an organization and can provide legal defensibility in the case of discrimination claims or investigations by the Department of Labor into violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

If your company does not currently have job descriptions for every position or is considering adding a new role and needs assistance developing the ad or supporting description, contact All Things HR and one of our HR experts will be more than happy to help.

All Things HR is located at 16825 48th Ave. W. For more information, go to www.allthings-hr.com or call 425-248-4978.