A question we are occasionally asked is how do employers boost views of or engagement with their vacancy. Whilst job seeking students are often a law unto themselves and definitely not ‘one-size fits all’ (!), these are always the basic checks we encourage:

Your ad

• Doublecheck the ad; are next steps clear and all links working?
• Is it clear WHO you would like to apply (ie a specific discipline, etc)?
• Is the pay competitive, does the opportunity offer clear progression/development pathways?
• Does the ad sound ‘exciting’? It is all too easy for students to miss fantastic opportunities because job ads do not stand out.
• Is it clear where the job is based? Would an applicant have to relocate? Is their hybrid or remote working options? If for example, it is mainly remote with only one day per week of onsite attendance, stating this in the advert is important as students located further away might still be interested.

The climate

• We appreciate that employers often have vacancies at any time of the year. However MANY of our students are job hunting between September and November.
• A number of our students joined a ‘talent pipeline’ early in their University journey and are already engaging with their chosen employers.
• Students are more likely to engage with an ad that speaks to a bigger issue or topical subject. Is your organisation is taking steps to become carbon neutral? Do you have a number of staff groups promoting inclusion in the workforce? These are often important to job seekers.

Your reputation (on campus)

• Is your organisation is ‘known’ to students – have you engaged in other activities with the University? Sent a target email, been on Parade, attended a Fair? It often takes a number of encounters for a student to want to engage with an organisation or recognise a brand.
• You can book activities and engagement activities to boost your brand by getting in touch: recruit@bath.ac.uk
• Are you offering placements, summer internships, projects? Allowing a ‘try-before-you-buy’ approach is advantageous to both parties.