How Do You Publicize a Job Opening?

Once you've determined that you need to hire someone and figured out what you need done, you're ready to let the world know about your job opening.

There are several ways to let people know about your job opening:

• Advertising. The most common means of advertising is in newspapers and online, which are relatively inexpensive and get good response and quick turnaround. Trade journals are more expensive and generate less response, but can be used effectively for highly paid, highly skilled professionals.
• Writing good job ads. There are some things you should include in your ads, and some things you should not include, particularly if you're covered by antidiscrimination laws.
• Personal recruiting. This involves going to places such as schools to find and attract job candidates. It can also include personal referrals.
• Outside services. If you tend to hire frequently or you need to hire several employees at once, this is a good route to use because they do a lot of the legwork. It can be expensive, though.
• Evaluating your choices. We provide some pointers on situations that might favor one method over another.