Why Your Job Ads Aren't Getting Applications and What to Do About It - Episode 236

Julie South [00:00:00]: Are you an HR manager or a practice manager or recruitment manager? And every time you post a job ad, you cross all your fingers and toes and hope and pray like crazy that it works, that somebody who's a great fit for your team is going to reply.

If that's you, stay tuned, because this week we are going to look at why job ads aren't getting applications and what actually does work in a shortage market.

Hi, I'm Julie South and you're listening to Veterinary Voices, the podcast that celebrates and showcases employer of choice veterinary clinics. This is episode 236, the 12th episode in our series about writing job ads that attract and build the best teams in the veterinary profession.

I'm sure you know that sinking feeling when you check your job ad that's been up for months and still see zero suitable applications. Meanwhile, maybe you're hearing about other clinics who have filled their positions in weeks. Well, what are they doing differently? You might ask yourself.

Julie South [00:01:22]: Good question. We're going to answer that.

Today, Veterinary Voices is brought to you by Vet Clinic Jobs, the job board. Direct hiring, where you can do it yourself, reimagined and no recruitment agency. You owe it to your team to be able to make job offers from your job ads.

Let's face it, success when it comes to job ads should lead to your new hire starting within a few months. If that's not happening for you right now, then head on over to vetclinicjobs.com because the average there is about seven weeks from go to whoa.

Julie South [00:01:59]: Last week in episode 235, we talked about urgent hiring without lowering your standards. Today we're going to be addressing the elephant in the room. And that is that job ads are not getting suitable applications.

Not enough applications, not quality applications, sometimes even no applications at all. And before you blame the veterinary professional shortage, let me tell you that some clinics are getting great applications, while others are just getting crickets.

So stay tuned, because I'm going to give you three strategies that actually work in a shortage market to get the veterinary professionals to notice, read and then apply to your job ads.

Let's be absolutely brutally honest about the current reality.

Julie South [00:02:55]: We're in a global veterinary professional shortage. Vets, nurses, techs with more jobs than job seekers. But here's what was frustrating clinic owners. They see other clinics successfully hiring while their own ad sits there gathering digital dust.

Our inaugural Market Intelligence Report tracked 650 active veterinary job ads across 49 platforms in Australia and New Zealand. The data confirms what many clinic owners are experiencing. We're in a genuine job seekers' market where more employers are advertising than professionals are applying.

The harsh truth is that in a shortage market, you can't rely on traditional job advertising approaches.

Julie South [00:03:48]: When job seekers have multiple options and can be selective, simply posting 'we need a vet' and listing duties is no longer enough and it hasn't been enough for a little while.

Veterinary professionals have choices and they're being very selective about where they invest their time and energy. Most clinics really, truly are still advertising like it's 2010.

They write job ads that focus entirely on what they need from the employee, not what the employees might want from them. They list requirements, duties and qualifications without giving any compelling reason why someone should choose their clinic over the dozens of other options.

There are a few clinics that get it right which leads to applications from ads, suitable applications with the right qualifications. And then there are a few who mimic those that are getting results but completely miss the mark.

Julie South [00:05:11]: Still, because you can't copy and paste another clinic's culture and expect it to work for your clinic, you need to do you and let them do them.

Yet many ads still read like shopping lists. Must have 3 years experience, must work weekends, must be comfortable with surgery. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, but there's nothing about why this clinic, your clinic is special, why the team is great to work with, or what makes coming to work there at your clinic absolutely 100% a buzz and genuinely rewarding.

Traditional job boards make this worse by forcing you into a template and tick box formats that strip away your clinic's personality. And they have to do this because the job board is a general job board where butchers, bakers and candlestick makers also go to find a job.

The end result is you end up sounding and looking exactly like every other vet clinic that's desperately trying to fill positions when you're unique. But no one knows this.

Julie South [00:06:17]: Okay, Julie, you're thinking all well and good. So what do we do? How do we change this?

Well, what actually works when job seekers have all the power? Here are three proven strategies.

The first one is you need to lead with what they get, not what you need. Flip your job ad upside down. Instead of starting with 'we need a veterinarian who can da di da dee da', start from something along the lines of 'join a team where you'll be supported, challenged and valued'.

Instead of listing your job requirements first, lead with the benefits that they'll experience. Shortage markets are job seeker driven markets. You need to speak to what the job seekers want to hear about.

Julie South [00:07:02]: First, the second thing to do is show your clinic's personality, not just its professionalism. In a shortage market, clinical competence is assumed.

Job seekers are choosing based on culture and fit. Share what makes your team laugh, how you handle difficult days, what your clinic dogs are like or your cats, how you celebrate successes. Give job seekers a genuine sense of what it feels like to work there, not just what the job involved.

And then thirdly, make it easy for someone to say yes. Remove every possible barrier to them applying. Don't ask for cover letters if you don't actually read them.

Julie South [00:07:51]: Don't require references up front if your clinic only checks them when you're about to make the offer or they've made your super shortlist. Make your application process as simple as you possibly can. Maybe it's just something like send us your CV and tell us why you're interested.

In episode 231, we talked about testing whether your application process is easy to complete. If you haven't listened to that, go back and check it out. I will put the link in the show notes for you.

Julie South [00:08:30]: The easier you make it to apply, the more suitable applications you'll get.

If you've been in the vet industry long enough, you'll know that veterinary professionals are attracted to professional respect over shiny polish. They want to see real people, real stories, real workplace culture. Rather than corporate speak or generic benefits packages.

The clinics getting the applications are sharing genuine stories about their teams and they treat job seekers like real people with hopes, dreams and concerns. They also understand modern communication. They get quick responses, they get clear communication and they get respectful treatment throughout the process.

And they understand the degrees of separation principle.

Julie South [00:09:33]: Have you ever thought that it would be a great idea if job boards understood that veterinary clinics aren't just posting jobs? They need to showcase who they are as employers as well.

Traditional job boards treat job posting like a transaction. Pay your money, fill in your template, hope and pray for the best. Vet Clinic Jobs recognises that in a shortage market, clinic showcasing is just as important as job posting.

All your job ads need to help showcase both your role and your clinic authentically. Whether you choose the Vet Clinic Jobs Premium 12 Week Real Story Programme or simply post a job ad at Vet Clinic Jobs, you'll create a far more powerful ad than you've ever used with just traditional job boards.

When job seekers can see who you really are as an employer, they're much more likely to apply. And when they apply, they're applying because they genuinely want to work with you, not just because you have an available position.

Julie South [00:10:44]: They like that you have done you.

So let me quickly recap those three strategies for getting applications in a shortage market. First, lead with what they get. The job seeker, the new incumbent, not what you need. Make it applicant focused.

Second, showcase your clinic's personality, not just its professionalism. Culture is king in a shortage market.

And lastly third, make it easy for them to say yes.

Julie South [00:11:20]: Please remove every barrier in the application process.

Here's your takeaway for this week. What I want you to do right now. Please look at your current job ad and count how many sentences or words or bullet points focus on what you need versus what the job seeker gets. If it's weighted towards your needs. Flip it. Start with their benefits, their experience, their growth opportunities.

Julie South [00:11:54]: If you really want to tell your real story and you'd like some help with that, then get in touch with Tanya at vetclinicjobs.com and she'll help you start that process.

And if you want to understand the full picture of what's happening in the veterinary employment market, then check out the Vet Clinic Jobs Market Intelligence Report. You can find it at vetclinicjobs.com/resources. It's the most comprehensive analysis available of hiring trends across Australia and New Zealand. Links for that will also be in the show notes for you.

Remember, in a shortage market, you're not just competing on the job ad, you're competing on the whole employment experience.

If you're ready to start attracting applications instead of hoping for them, visit vetclinicjobs.com. Lizzie and Tania understand the shortage market dynamics, and they can help you present your clinic in ways that make job seekers genuinely excited to apply. The average for them is about seven weeks from go to whoa.

Julie South [00:12:59]: That's episode 236 of Veterinary Voices. Next week we're going to explore attracting passive job seekers, those veterinary professionals who aren't actively looking but could be convinced by the right opportunity.

Another big thank you to vetclinicjobs.com, the job board. Direct hiring. Reimagined. No recruitment agency. Check it out.

Julie South [00:13:26]: Vetclinicjobs.com

Getting applications in a shortage market isn't about luck. It's about understanding what motivates job seekers and giving them compelling reasons to choose you.

Until next week, this is Julie South signing off and inviting you to go out there and be your most fantabulous self. Because you work with a team that lifts you up every single day.