How to Write a Great Temp Job Post

Before you can start the interview process for your temp hires, you’ll need to create the type of job post that attracts the right candidates. But here at Work4, we know that the process of hiring temporary workers can be daunting. Plus, in today’s job market you’re often competing with thousands of other job postings. So, exactly how do you elevate your listings to rise above the noise, stand out in the sea of competition and bring in the candidate leads you need now? 

It often comes down to creativity. Amanda Robbins, one of our account managers, suggests that agencies should “Slow down and see things from the candidate’s perspective before writing a job posting.” Your job post is often the first introduction a potential hire has to your company. A well-crafted job posting can mean the difference between making a placement or not. Therefore, it’s important that your job post be unique and engaging. Whether you’re looking to hire call center employees, warehouse workers, or need seasonal staffing, a great temporary job posting is essential. That’s why we wanted to review the components of a good temp job post, plus we’ve included a free template.
 

Before Creating Your Temporary Job Posting

Before you start writing the next great temp job posting, you need to first perform a quick job analysis to determine your client’s staffing needs. Ask your client what hours the staff member will be required to work, what the rate of pay is, where the job is located and what the job requirements are. According to Amanda, your mission is to “Paint a picture of what the job will look like to the candidate for the best understanding and better-qualified applicants.“

Take a look at your clients’ compensation structure. Does it compare with the current market or should you recommend they adjust it to attract ideal candidates? You can research competitor job listings and job titles on sites like Indeed and GlassDoor to ensure that the offering is competitive. Before you start the hiring process, make sure you’re clear about the specific responsibilities of the temp employee and what compensation they will receive. Start the process by creating a brief outline of all the job specifics.

Know Your Talent Pool

One more step before we get into how to write an effective temporary posting is to consider how and where potential candidates will be seeing your posting. Chances are high that you will be posting online, after all as many as 79% of job seekers say they found employment through online resources. The next step then is to safely assume that a large percentage of candidates will likely read your posting on their smartphones. In fact, Amanda says “80% -90% of candidates apply from their phones, keep it short but make it impactful for the highest applicant volume.” Best practices indicate that you should only include what candidates need to know and leave out what’s nice to know. 

Craft a Great Job Title 

You’ve heard the phrase “never judge a book by its cover,” the bad news is that the average job-seeker is going to do just that. Without a good job title, your ideal candidate may never click through to see your job description. Always include the salary or salary range in the job title whenever possible. A good practice is to test different titles, instead of just going with your internal title. For example, the internal position title may be “Dept. 758397298, Warehouse Worker # 49678 ”but that won’t deliver the candidates you desire. “Warehouse Staff – $ 18 per Hour” will engage your audience more, and lead to more applications. The wrong title could cost you time and money, so be clear, concise, and specific. 

Anatomy of a Great Temp Job Posting 

A great temporary job posting can be as long or as short as necessary. Remember that you are creating an advertisement for someone to change their life, so it should be able to sell someone on a lifestyle change – in a professional way. Include the information that you gathered from your client before you got started. Reiterate the compensation.  Other elements to include in your job posting are:

• Position Summary
  

  This is not the same as the list of responsibilities (that’s next), this is the place to communicate what the purpose of the role is and what the work environment they’ll be expected to perform in is like. Remember to keep it short and simple. 

• List of Responsibilities
  

  This is the place to be as descriptive as possible and make it clear what will be expected of a successful candidate. Include required availability, volume expectations, and any special tasks or duties they will be expected to perform. Bulleted lists work well for this section. Include days and hours required to work especially when hiring seasonal staff. This will help you avoid deal-breaking scheduling conflicts. 
  

• List of Job Requirements
  

  Similar to the list of responsibilities, you want to provide a very clear list of qualifications required to be considered for the job. Your average temp or staffing positions don’t require relevant work experience but make sure to highlight any necessary certifications (eg CDL certification) Also, include any physical requirements such as the ability to stand for long hours or lift heavy items. This is the section of your temp job posting that could help ill-fitting candidates self-select out of the competition so be as thorough in this section as possible.
  

• Company Overview
  

  This section should be clean and concise, this is where you let a candidate know why they should choose to work with your agency or business above the competition. Include any benefits offered, sign-on bonuses, or details that make you stand out in the industry. The best part is that you’ll only need to create this section once. Take the time to make sure it is well written and you can copy and paste it into any future job posts with minimal updates as needed. Keep in mind that less can be more, and as long as the description sums up who you are as a company it can be a good frame of reference for job seekers.
  

• Other Optional Information

  • A list of any training or tools that you provide
  • A list of drug testing, driving records, or background checks you require
  • Whether or not there is an opportunity for permanent placement
  • Any additional application instructions or documents required