By Melinda Waters
Any talent recruiter will tell you the competition for top talent is fierce. So, how do you make your job posting stand out and attract the best of the best? Well, one of the best ways is to use humor. And… how do you do this? Tell a joke, create a video of yourself failing miserably to learn the latest TikTok dance trend, and post a meme of your dog working the “dog days” of summer at your desk with blue-light glasses on.
But seriously, while these methods may make people laugh, a much simpler approach is to use humor to write an unconventional job posting that will catch people’s attention and highlight your brand’s personality in a memorable way.
Duolingo had great success with this when they posted a playful job posting for an “Owl Trainer” for their mascot, “Duo.” By using the quirky headline of “Are you a bird whisperer? We need an Owl Trainer,” they quickly attracted potential applicants to their site and helped to positively build their brand. The job posting uses humor to describe the responsibilities of managing Duo’s daily schedule, coordinating Duo’s luxury swimwear fittings, Nobu meals, transcendental meditation sessions, and finishing the job description with “30+ years of experience in an identical position.” This job posting leaves applicants feeling good and laughing a bit. It attracts candidates who align with the company’s unique vibe. The position no doubt was filled with an employee who will thrive in its environment.
Humor is often not used enough in job postings, but it serves a strategic purpose. When you use humor, it brings you and your company to a level that feels relatable. Humor shows that your organization doesn’t take everything so seriously, but instead it is fun and creative. These values resonate with younger generations who typically look for organizations that put company culture first and encourage a feeling of belonging and fitting in.
As in the example of Duolingo’s approach, humor is used in a job posting and at the same time, recruitment goals are achieved. By using humor, Duolingo and their recruiting team were able to not only attract a larger applicant pool but also highlight their brand culture to attract employees who are a strong fit for their culture and bring value to their team. Duolingo’s original job posting may have even gone viral on social media, which then led to greater brand visibility and, most importantly, attracting passive job seekers.
To wrap this up, as recruiters, we craft job postings every day and try to be creative in our candidate outreach. Why write boring postings when we can use humor to help our job postings and ads truly stand out. Duolingo's "Owl Trainer" ad is a testament to breaking free from the status quo and using the power of humor. A dash of humor can go a long way in attracting top talent and helping your organization stand out in a competitive environment. So, let's embrace creativity in recruiting and shift towards more engaging ads that show our organization's personality.
Have you tried using humor in your job postings? Let us know in the comments.
We know recruiting top talent is no joke! Consider partnering with TalentRemedy. Our industry experts use just the right mix of humor and fun combined with the seriousness of finding the perfect new team member for your organization. Contact us at info@talentremedy.com or 703-362-0175 to set up a time to learn more about how our team can support your hiring needs.
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