How to post job listing that will go viral!

Remember that college summer intern seeker who's cover letter went viral? What if your next job posting did the same but only to your ideal candidates? Hiring is coming back so you will have your work cut out for you. Given the vast number of unemployed workers and indications of increased competition for the best candidates, attracting quality people will be a challenge. You had better consider these tips when posting your next job.

from: Small Talk, Big Results

Ask for help in you job posting: Everyone wants to feel important. One of the best ways to do that is solving a problem for someone. Your job as a recruiter is to clearly state how their contribution will help the company. Don't just say you need a top sales performer. Tell potential candidates what specific changes can happen with the revenue coming from their direct efforts. Paint a picture so a rock star can say "because of me the company....".

Show off your feathers: If birds of a feather flock together then highlight qualities of existing staff you want to see in your next hire. Take a moment to describe the type of people who are successful in your firm. Convey the culture of the company as a whole as well. It is all about fit, we often need to be in the right environment to shine. So set the stage and the right performers will thrive on it.

Remove the performance guess work: The office is not the place to play guessing games, unless it is for fun. Tell candidates upfront how they will be evaluated. Knowing what the company values in terms of hard results, career development, etc. is attractive to results oriented people. Even hospitality staff that make your clients feel warm and fuzzy don't want fuzzy metrics from you. They want to know in certain terms how their execution of the "warm and fuzzy" job is valued by you. Give numbers, track them, and reward them. Rock stars want to know.

And what's so cool about you? Before you launch into how your app, product, or service is going to disrupt the market and how much fun everyone will have making that happen, think about the type of person you want to think you are cool. A job posting should tell the right candidate and only the right candidate why you, your company, and the position will be cool. What problem will you solve for you customers, what will successful employees get to add to their resume, how will they be compensated (not just money)? 

Now you have the makings of a job posting that will go viral and only infect the people who will really make a difference in your company. Ideally you want job seekers weed themselves out, leaving you with a select group of candidates you and them wanting more.