As landscape companies build their crews for the busy spring season, an increase in recruitment efforts has begun. Writing a truthful and enticing job listing is a crucial step in a recruitment strategy, and it’s worth the time to do it carefully. 

In our digital society, classified ads in printed newspapers have become a secondary tool for job searches. Online job postings are the norm. And as job boards have become more sophisticated, so have job seekers.  

Rather than browse a long list of jobs in their city or region, job seekers can use keywords and filters to narrow down the list of jobs that they browse. As a result, it’s important to use the same keywords and criteria in your job listing that your preferred candidates might use. Make sure that your position appears in the right search results rather than rely on the right person finding it by chance in a long list. 

Sell the job—and your business  
An ad for a job should talk about the job, but it should also sell your company. Shift focus from what candidates need to prove to you to get the job and show job seekers why they should want to work with you. This is especially important today, when there are often more available jobs than job seekers. 

Your job listing is an opportunity to reinforce your company’s brand and brag about employee perks. In a sea of job listings that sound similar, small perks like fitness club discounts, free breakfast on Wednesdays, or company softball leagues could be what separates your business from others. 

Job title 
As with a job description, the job title should be helpful to applicants. Think of this as your headline—it should create interest, but it should also help the reader understand the job. A study by Monster revealed that 64% of job seekers would not apply for a position if the job title was unclear. 

Responsibilities and duties 
Be sure to list the most common tasks required by the position. Once again, avoid jargon. If you’re looking for experience, using some industry-specific terms is fine. But if you’re willing to hire for attitude and train for skills, using too much jargon could alienate those candidates. 

Be specific and use clear terminology. For example, DO: Mow lawns, repair irrigation DON’T: Landscape maintenance. Keywords are important. Think about the terms that your ideal candidate might use when searching an online job list—not necessarily the ones that your HR department uses.  

Qualifications 
List the skills, credentials, licenses, and/or certification required for the job. 

Salary range 
To post a salary or not to post a salary—that is a big question for many professionals. Some recruiters fear that posting a range could insult someone who is not offered the top of the range, or that someone who is offered the top of the range might not see any room for growth or advancement. 

But other HR experts believe that sharing a salary range or starting salary can help streamline recruitment. If a job seeker is unwilling to accept a salary within your range, you both can save time spent on applications and interviews by posting the range in a job listing. 

Application process 
Don't forget to tell your audience how to apply. Include a link to an online application. Provide an email address with clear instructions about what to include (text resume, PDF attachment, etc.) and what subject line to use so that you can easily find applicant emails in your inbox. Or offer an address and hours during which you accept resumes or drop-in candidates.

You should also be clear about the terms of employment. Is the job part-time or full-time? Permanent or seasonal? If there are any uncommon attendance requirements (available on weekends or required to work Tuesday through Saturday), it’s a good idea to disclose that information in your job description or in your advertisements. Neither you nor job candidates want to waste time in an interview if they cannot commit to the required work schedule. 

Ready to recruit? Visit jobs.landscapeinidustrycareers.org to post your latest openings.