Here’s a 4 step advertising framework you can use to help fill difficult vacancies:

1️⃣ Clear introduction that grabs Attention and encourages clicking on ‘see more’.

- Lead with the strongest point about your vacancy that will interest your ideal readers.

DON’T lead with something they’ll only care about if they need any old job. “*** New role ***” or “I’m delighted to announce this advert for a vacancy because I don’t know what else to say.” or "Here at Boring Corp, we are."

2️⃣ Build Interest and trust by showing the reader why it’s worth exploring further, even if they are happily employed in a good enough job.

- You’ll need to speak to their situation, needs and aspirations; something you’ll have established when building your vacancy. Genuine benefits help.

DON’T follow up with generic or clever words that may only push your ideal readers away. “A market-leading innovator disrupting the cat litter market with blue liner thinking” or “progressive opportunity to join our family.”

3️⃣ Provide clarity by Defining what your role is and the minimum viable requirement for skills and experience.

- Requires briefly showing the context of your role and the points readers won’t be able to guess from its job title.

- As well as knowing what your minimum viable requirement is. Given this is a ‘difficult’ vacancy, this should be your starting point

DON’T list more than 4-5 bullet points in your requirement, especially when they are either impossible or points anyone will think they have. “5 years experience in tech invented in 2021” or “communication skills.”

DON'T teach a granny to suck eggs or leave them with the wrong questions.

Keep these first three sections to around 300 words, if possible.

Simplify, ‘so what’, ‘why does it matter’ all help.

4️⃣ Focus on giving your readers the right Experience to encourage them to contact you:

- Highlight the recruitment process
- Provide a safe space for any accommodations they may need
- Invite them to talk to you without an updated CV
- Tell them you’ll respond to all applications
- Make it easy for them to contact you

DON'T list statutory benefits and 'competitive salary'. Who cares?

DON’T use the rubbish lines that are “only successful candidates will be contacted”. If this was the first advert you read, how might it make you feel?

If you think volume applications are impossible to reply to, simply automate and reciprocate their level of care. Comment below if you want my template for unsuitable applicants who’ve applied only on a wing and a prayer.

While this is a simple framework, it’s not necessarily easy to apply.

You’ll need insight, clear definitions of what good is, and to interpret your vacancy with meaning to your target readers.

It’s based on AIDA (attention interest desire action) adapted to the needs of potential candidates, rather than customers.

I call it AIDE (attention ikigai definition experience).