• Recruitment
• Workforce Trends

• Retention Strategies
• Workplace Law

• Benefits
• Best Employers Program

Writing Effective Job Ads to Recruit Experienced Workers

If you want to recruit mature workers, examine your job ads. Do they contain traditional language or age-diverse language? Certain words or phrases can be big turn-offs for experienced candidates who are down-shifting their jobs, seeking a part time position, or pursuing a second career.

Consider the two ads below. Which one do you think would appeal to the 50+ candidate?

Vet Tech
"High-end luxury pet hotel seeking energetic person for feeding and maintenance of… Apply in person."

Vet Tech
"FT/PT position. Experience preferred but will train. Must be reliable and motivated. Available Saturdays. Salary DOE."

These ads were published almost next to each other in the same newspaper. The second ad is more likely to draw mature candidates. Here's why: It avoids words like "energetic" but mentions "part-time" opportunities and "training," which can be appealing to mature workers.

Write an Ad as if You're 50+

Here are two more ad samples that use age-diverse language to target experienced workers:

Receptionist
"Friendly, warm, intelligent team player for expanding estate planning law firm. Must be well-organized, detail-oriented…"

Receptionist
"Needed for busy commercial real estate office, FT, dependable and reliable applicants only…"

If you're in the shoes of a jobseeker 50+, do these ads speak to you? For comparison, here are two ads that could turn experienced workers away:

Administrative Assistant
"We need friendly, youthful minded for fast paced fun office…"

Leasing Agency/Property Manager
"Energetic person to work with rapidly growing company…"

Semantics Matter When Recruiting Mature Workers

Compelling ads that successfully attract mature workers share a common theme of selecting certain words and phrases. Employers seeking mature and experienced job candidates avoid terms such as "fast paced," "challenging," "rigorous," "highly motivated," "intense" and "competitive," says Bob Skladany, vice president of research and services at RetirementJobs.com. To recruit workers 50+, he suggests using instead words like "conscientious," "reliable," "flexible," "committed," "professional," and "adaptable."

Ad Makeovers
It just takes a few words to transform job ads into 50+ magnets. Look at how portions of these job ads have been rewritten to become more appealing to jobseekers 50+:

Before: "We're a great place to work if you're seeking teaching experience or if you want a challenging and fulfilling part-time job." After: Interested in helping children succeed or contributing to your community? We're a great place to work if you're seeking teaching experience or a fulfilling part-time job.

Before: This individual will be responsible for the personal finances of a board member. Additional responsibilities may include administrative tasks and special projects as needed. This is a part-time position, approximately 20 hours per week. Flexible hours. $20 and $30 an hour. After: Experience Pays! Great part-time opportunity with flexible hours. Work only 20 hours a week. Earn between $20 and $30 an hour handling the personal finances of a board member, administrative tasks and special projects.

Convey that Experience - Not Age - Matters

Here are excerpts from several job ads that encourage mature candidates to apply:

• If you're motivated, mature, responsible and able to work successfully without supervision, then consider yourself a candidate!
• If you are currently working in the engraving field or are looking to re-enter, we would like to talk to you. We are looking for an experienced, mature individual to work at our small business.
• Apparel manufacturer wishes to teach a mature fashion-minded person the garment industry.

Notice that all of these ads include words like "mature" or "experienced." Job seekers know that these companies are evaluating applicants based on their skills and knowledge, rather than age.

The Power of Two Words: Workplace Flexibility

Words or phrases like "high energy," "driven," or "work long hours" typically appeal to applicants who are interested in building their career, not professionals who may be scaling back their projects or work schedule.

Job candidates who are looking for workplace flexibility may steer clear from the job ads that included these sentences:

• Fast-paced, high-energy company seeks that special individual.
• We're looking for an enthusiastic, high energy person to join our national accounts team.
• Due to our constant expanding client base, we are looking for ambitious and driven individuals with high energy attitudes to join our team.

If your business offers flexible work arrangements, words such as "part-time," "flexible work schedule," "telecommuting," and "seasonal work options" should be incorporated into your recruitment ads. Flexible work schedules, which are increasingly valued by workers of all ages, are becoming a recruiting tactic among competing businesses to recruit top talent.

Make the most out of your job ads. Don't waste your budget on ineffective ads or rely on job-seekers to read between the lines. Paying attention to language can make the difference between attracting people with minimal skills or catching qualified candidates who possess the abilities and experience your jobs demand.

AARP Resources

AARP Workforce Assessment Tool
Use this interactive tool to assess your staffing needs and challenges to prepare for an aging workforce. To best view your results, you'll need Adobe Acrobat 8.0 or higher.

Age Discrimination: What Employers Need to Know
Covers age discrimination laws, recruitment practices, trends, and age equity in the workplace.

AARP Age Equity in Employment Checklist for Employers
An online checklist to help employers assess their company's policies and practices to attract and keep valuable employees, including older workers. Topics include recruitment, policy development, training, and job redesign.