Next, consider the medium you're going to use to present the advertisement (such as newspaper, website, bulletin board or radio). Take a minute to look at (or listen to) some ads for jobs similar to the one you'll be posting. This will give you some valuable ideas, and a sense of the style people use in writing the type of advertisement you've chosen.

Advertising in a Newspaper
Classified ads are the most common way to list a job opening, and nearly every job seeker will look here first. The classifieds generally let you reach the greatest number of people for the lowest cost.

The best rule of thumb is to be direct, list the most essential skills required, and provide ample information about how you want applicants to submit their resumes (fax numbers, email addresses, phone, address, special instructions (for instance, "apply in person")). Generally, you're charged more for longer ads, but include enough detail to make sense to a good candidate.

How to Write Your Ad

• Use your common sense and read your ad as if you were a person looking for work. Is it clear? Has it captured your attention and interest?
• Tell enough about the job so readers can decide if they're interested and/or qualified.
• Provide the job title, along with a brief description of the job.
• List the minimum skills, education, and experience you're looking for, as well as any special demands the job entails (travel, physical strength, relocation, etc.).
• Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and have someone proofread the ad for you before you send it in.
• Specifically list all equipment, software, or tools the job requires.

Sample Ads
The following advertisement is a good model. It clearly and concisely explains the job, gives a general sense of the type of company and work involved, and also lists the necessary technical skills required.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, shipping clerk for established local company. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: order entry, preparation of invoices and bills of lading, preparation of bank deposits and communication of hand-held computers. Systems include AS400, Microsoft Word and Excel. Send your resume to 3433 Red Street, Eureka, CA 95521 or fax to 555-5555.

This next advertisement is a "Classifieds Don't". It gives almost no information about the job, the company, or the responsibilities involved, and does little to inspire a job seeker's interest. Though it's economical in terms of size, it seems like a perfect example of "you get what you pay for". People with lots of experience and qualifications would be likely to look for a job that sounds more interesting or exciting, and people with no experience may simply be confused and disheartened by this ad, wondering what they should put on their resumes to appeal to the employer.

CASHIERS needed 6am-2pm & 2pm-10pm weekdays & 2pm-10pm weekends. Apply in person.

Blind Ads
A blind advertisement is one that does not disclose the name of the company and uses a post office box as the address to which job seekers reply. Blind ads are useful if you don't wish to reply to each candidate, or if you want to keep a low profile (for instance, if you don't want the competition to know you're hiring, or would rather replace an existing employee from outside rather than promoting a current employee). The downside to blind is that fewer job seekers will reply, as people tend to be suspicious of an employer who doesn't put their name in print. In addition, employees from your own company could end up unknowingly applying for the job.

Caution-Things You Shouldn't Include
Federal law is very specific about what you can and can't legally include in a job ad, particularly when you employ 15 or more people. In addition, California law protects job seekers against discrimination in ads and employment practices. The best bet is to avoid any statements that imply you would favor job seekers of a specific race, age, class, gender, national origin, ethnicity, religion, or level of ability. Though not legally required, it's a good idea to change any job titles that typically include gender (fireman, policeman, etc.) to a neutral term (firefighter, police officer, etc.), and to avoid any references that would suggest any specific age group (wanted: "recent college graduates," "young executive," etc.).

Display Ads
If you have a little more money at your disposal, you might opt to run a display ad rather than a classified ad. Display ads give you larger blocks of space to work with, let you add eye-catching graphics, and provide greater opportunity to communicate information about your company. You can place display ads in the classified section, or in other sections of the newspaper that pertain more directly to your intended audience, for instance, in the business, sports, or real estate sections. Basic cost depends on size; price increases when you include graphics.

Newspapers
The Arcata Eye Classifieds

The Humboldt Beacon
P.O. Box 310
Fortuna, CA 95540
(707) 725-6166

The HSU Lumberjack
Call 826-3259 or e-mail

The McKinleyville Press

The North Coast Journal

The Times-Standard Classifieds
930 6th Street
Eureka, CA 95502
Tel: (707) 441-0555
Fax: (707) 441-0568
Mail to:classified@times-standard.com

The Tri-City Weekly

Writing Ads for Websites
Websites offer an excellent, quick way to advertise job openings, and they're usually free. The benefits of online advertising include a quicker response time, the ability to reach a broader, more diverse audience than the local newspaper allows, and the low cost involved. In addition, if you're trying to recruit people with advanced computer skills, you're likely to find them on the Internet. Another important advantage of using the web is that you can target your audience very effectively. For instance, if you're looking for a writer, you can search out bulletin boards and websites devoted to professional writers and post your opening there. There are also a number of websites that maintain resume databases, which you can search to find qualified applicants.

CalJobs is one of the best resources for local employers. It's a statewide system developed by the Employment Development Department (EDD) that lets you post job openings and search through posted resumes for free. The service is open to anyone in California, and can be sorted by county, so you can quickly and easily target the local market. You can call EDD at (707) 445-6532 for more information about CalJobs, or simply go to the site to log on. Additionally, you can use EDD to screen applicants for you and help you tailor your recruitment efforts, and CalJobs can be quite valuable in this process.

Writing the Ad
Basically, you'll want to follow the guidelines for writing Classified Ads, although, because it's typically free to post to websites, you might want to write slightly longer, more descriptive ads. You should also include an email address that applicants can use to send you their resumes. Also, some websites (particularly those that use databases) will ask you for a list of keywords that describe your job opening. Read through your job description and the draft of your job advertisement, and pick out 10 key phrases that best describe the position. Think about what you would type in if you were a job seeker looking for an opening like the one you want to fill.

Local Websites for Posting Job Ads
The Employment Wizard lets you post job openings and search through resumes, and contains other employment-related topics and hints. This website is linked to the Times-Standard's online site, so it is very visible to local applicants.

CalJobs
This free service allows you to post job openings to a website that can be accessed throughout California and the U.S., and also lets you browse through resumes that job seekers have posted.

Humboldt Craigslist
Offers free classified listings that you can post yourself via the Internet.

Northcoastweb.com
Lets you submit free classifieds via the Internet.

Making Flyers for Bulletin Boards
When creating flyers for bulletin boards, you may follow the same basic rules for writing Classified Ads. Consider, however, that you have a whole page to work with, so you could include eye-catching fonts, graphics, or colored paper. You could also make "tear-off" tabs at the bottom of the page with your address, fax number, etc., so interested job seekers will be sure to get your contact information. If you lack the means to produce a flyer on your own, get in touch with a local copy center, such as Kinko's or The Copy Stop, whose staff can do it for you for a reasonable price.

Placing Ads in Trade Journals
You should only consider trade journals if you're looking for someone with a specific skill, profession, or technical expertise, and if you have ample time to spend on recruiting. Trade journals tend to come out monthly or quarterly, so this will delay response time significantly. Also keep in mind that the total cost of placing an ad in a trade journal is relatively low, but your audience may be fairly limited. When you write an ad for a trade journal, follow the guidelines for writing a Classified Ads, but gear the ad toward hooking the job seeker. Keep in mind that you'll be advertising to a highly skilled, motivated audience. What can you say about the job that will appeal to the job seeker's needs for responsibility, challenge, and advancement opportunities? What makes your company unique in the marketplace?

Advertising on Television or Radio
Television lets you reach a wide audience, but it's terribly expensive and isn't a medium people typically use to look for work. In addition, you can't limit your message to specific target viewers, and it's difficult to communicate all the information you need to in the short time allowed.

However, cable TV has public access stations that let you list "TV classified ads" that are much less expensive than traditional commercials.

The radio is cheaper than television and can reach a more specific audience. However, it is costly, and would mainly be useful when you're recruiting a large number of people simultaneously.