Most employers tend to make their job ads all business, but that may not necessarily be the way to go. If you want people to notice your job ad, then you may need to use a little creativity and think outside the box. This is especially true if you are looking for creative people. After all, the best way to get top creative talent is to show them that your company understands the creative urge and is willing to nurture it.

SEE ALSO: How to Use Recruitment Marketing to Improve Your Job Descriptions

Try A Unique Job Title

RecruitLoop.com offers an example of an Apple job ad that is looking for a “Senior Armageddon Avoidance Engineer.” In reality, that type of catchy job title could apply to a wide variety of professional fields. But it is obvious that Apple is looking for a unique thinker and someone who approaches problems in a different kind of way.

When you are looking for unique talent, you need to offer something unique in return. Offering a salary and benefits is important, but it is hardly unique. Apple will get responses to this ad from people who look at things from a different perspective than the rest of the corporate world and you can accomplish the same goals by using the same types of unique titles.

Let The Job Ad Do The Screening

SmartRecruiters.com offers an example of a Microsoft software engineering job ad that is definitely unique. To get the phone number to call for more information, the applicant first has to solve what appears to be a relatively easy algebra equation. But Microsoft is very big on following the proper process and the equation in the ad can easily give the applicant a wrong phone number if the proper mathematical process is not followed.

When a company like Microsoft (known for its straightforward approach to software engineering) utilizes an ad like this, it has two purposes. First of all, it screens out the potential applicants who do not understand basic mathematical theory. Secondly, it attracts creative people who can offer Microsoft new perspectives on their future software titles.

Is It Too Much?

When does being creative with your job ad become too much? In reality, as long as the creative element is in line with your hiring needs, then it is never too much. If you are looking for engineers who can solve certain types of problems, then putting those problems in your ad repels people who are not interested and attracts those who are. By being creative, you can actually speak directly to a particular type of candidate and avoid getting resumes from people who are not qualified for the work.

People seem to forget that the job market is just as competitive for employers as it is for job candidates. Any creative element that an employer can use to narrow down the resumes they receive to include only qualified candidates and maybe even do a little brand name marketing as well is well worth the extra investment of time and money.

Can employers use creative job ads to give them a distinct competitive advantage?