Today’s recruitment game is tougher than ever before—in addition to stiff competition for key talent with everyone from lean startups to giant multinational companies with global operations, grabbing the attention of job seekers amidst a labyrinth of endless job search and corporate websites is no easy feat.

But that doesn’t make achieving your recruiting goals any less crucial. The success of your organization depends on having a talent-rich pipeline of qualified candidates for open and future positions, which includes getting your job postings to stand out from the noise and grab the attention of job seekers. And, as you likely already know, this means reaching active job seekers and passive candidates—the fact is, the erosion of job security in the modern work world has made most of us perpetual job seekers, and it isn’t uncommon for gainfully employed individuals to always be searching for better opportunities.

In today’s rapidly evolving and hyper-competitive job market, attracting new talent is easier said than done. In many instances, it all starts with an effective job posting. The truth is, job postings are more than just bulleted lists of information about an opening at your company. In many cases, they’re the first impression potential candidates get of your company and corporate brand—an impression that could last throughout the employee engagement process and factor heavily into a candidate’s decision-making process if presented with a job offer.

So, how do you get your job postings to stand out from the noise and grab attention? Consider the following steps your roadmap for designing effective job postings that will help you reach your target goals.

Your 3 Steps To Writing A Job Posting That Gets Results

Don’t Skimp On Initial Prep

When there’s a job opening in your company, you may be used to working under intense pressure to get a posting out into the world and in front of job seekers as fast as possible, all in an effort to fill the position ASAP. But that may not be the best approach if finding the best available talent is your end game. Instead, make some time to slow things down and plan a little more carefully and thoughtfully. Instead of just firing off a bulleted list of job responsibilities, make sure you carefully define the position and the perfect candidate to fill the role first—this will help you craft a targeted posting and focus your subsequent search (you’ll also impress job seekers with your razor-sharp focus).

Think about the messaging you want to convey, how you want to present it, and how it will be perceived by your target audience. Like most things in life, communication is key. The initial impression you’ll make with your posting can mean the difference between potential candidates giving it a passing glance, or stopping to consider with sincere attention and interest.

Develop Your Posting With Thoughtfulness And Care

With some careful initial preparation, you’ll be in a great position to craft an impactful posting that will achieve your target hiring goals. A great job posting clearly communicates the position being hired for, including the responsibilities and requirements for a successful candidate, along with clear directions for applying. It also conveys the corporate brand and culture, including your company’s goals and mission (today’s job candidates want to work for companies whose beliefs align with their own).

The value proposition for candidates should also be apparent. Why should they choose to apply to your company when there are other potential opportunities out there? A little personality and warmth can also help entice coworkers and make them feel as if they’re pursuing a company they’d be happy to work at every day—and it can help your posting stand out from the crowd.

After carefully crafting the posting, make sure to review it carefully to confirm that it’s error free, engaging, and delivers the complete story you’re looking to deliver—including content, clarity, tone, and branding.

Manage Your Posting After It’s Live

After you’ve completed and shared your job posting with the world, your job isn’t over. A seasoned and savvy HR pro stays on top of their posting, using available site analytics to manage it and track its effectiveness. If revisions are needed, they’re on top of it. If additional messaging is called for, they make the most of available social media tools.

As candidates start responding, they’re brought into the well-oiled HR pipeline, and the search for the best and brightest ensues. Before long, that well-crafted job posting will hopefully connect you to the best available candidate and result in another HR success story.