According to research from LinkedIn, 150 million new technology jobs will be created in the next five years; however, a 2020 report by the World Economic Forum found that 39% of the UK didn’t have the digital skills required to match this demand.

With this in mind it is more important than ever that companies and recruiters ensure their job description and ads are as appealing as possible to those with the digital skills in order to attract them to apply.

A recent survey* discovered the top things that are most likely to put them off from applying for technical roles.

1.  Lack of salary information
Something that seems to be a bug-bear across industries when it comes to job ads is the lack of transparency around the salary being offered, and in the tech industry this is no different. 73% of respondents noted that the lack of salary on job ads was their biggest turn off when it came to applying for jobs.

Professionals don’t want to waste their time applying for a role only to discover later that the salary does not match or exceed their expectations. By including the salary in the ad, employers appear more transparency focused. 

Haystack’s proprietary data also found that ads with salary disclosed get 65% more applications than those without.

2. Too difficult to apply
Over half (52%) stated that when a role is too difficult to apply for they are immediately put off trying. 

Many job seekers are already in employment when searching for another role, meaning they often don’t have heaps of time to be jumping through hoops or filling in a lengthy application. Only the most important information should be required in the first instance, supported by a CV. 

Any additional details can be gathered during or after the first interview when the applicant has progressed further in the application process and likely more willing to commit some of their time.

3. Unhelpful job description
Half of the survey participants were put off by unhelpful job descriptions. Many employers are guilty of sacrificing detail for flowery language in an effort to stand out. Unfortunately, applicants need to know the ins and outs of the role they are applying for, including:

-Working hours

-Salary

-Required tech skills

-Typical duties

-Benefits

All of these should be included in the first instance. Any additional information is a bonus and likely to be appreciated.

4. Irrelevant tests
Similar to “too difficult to apply”, 38% won’t apply for a role if there are irrelevant tests involved. Time is precious and it is likely applicants won’t be applying for just the one role, if role A involves a lengthy test and role B is a simple form and CV submission, role B will win. 

Keep things simple at first, a task is usually expected by applicants during the second interview.

5. Too one-sided
Just as with conversations, one-sided job descriptions cause nothing but frustration for over a quarter (27%) of potential candidates.

Too many employers are guilty of including only what they are looking for and what is required from the successful applicant, forgetting that it is a two-way street and applicants need to know what they can expect in return.

6. Poor mobile experience
It isn’t just Google that is mobile first. 22% of survey respondents said they would be put off applying for a role because of a poor mobile experience.

Whether it is because they can browse jobs on their private mobile devices or want to do so on the go, techies prefer companies that offer a good mobile experience and without one could mean that certain businesses are overlooked by talent.

7. Inflexible
A year of working from home for many has caused a shift in priorities. People are no longer satisfied with the 9 to 5 in the office. Although professionals don’t necessarily want to work solely from home, with 67% of respondents wanting a hybrid working offering, as opposed to solely remote (31%) and office only (2%)- the modern life needs flexible working options in order to satisfy the majority of job-seekers.

This is why 15% of techies consider a lack of flexibility a turn-off when it comes to searching for a job.

Employers should ensure that if they offer flexibility it is made clear in the job ad, and if it is not currently an offering this should be discussed internally and considered to make sure the work environment is suited to future talent.

Many of these turn-offs translate across different industries and therefore should be points of consideration for recruiters and those putting together job advertisements, to attract the right talent to roles.

Mike Davies, COO and co-founder of Haystack, said: “Finding the right talent with the desired skills is difficult enough with the digital skill deficit the UK is facing, without the job descriptions putting those with the requirements off applying.

“Companies should ensure that they make their job descriptions as transparent as possible, taking note of the turn-offs and ensuring they do what they can to avoid making those mistakes.

“Our survey also found that the top three things techies are looking for in a company is opportunities to upskill and progress (72.8%), positive working culture (71.7%) and flexible working (69.6%), showing the types of qualities this talent is searching for within a job description, and therefore companies should ensure are included.”

*Survey by Haystack