Want Better Applicants? Write Ads Like Magnum Sells Ice Cream.

We all know the saying: 

“You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

And yet - every day - I see job ads that do exactly that. They repel, they bore, they list. They don’t invite. They don’t encourage curiosity.

I keep coming across hiring teams and recruiters who genuinely don’t understand why they’re not attracting the right people. And I honestly think they’re skipping the most important part: putting real thought into how they advertise the role.

Don’t Post a Job Description

Let’s start here: a job description is an internal document. It’s a reference guide. A checklist. A sometimes slightly unhinged wish list of every single skill someone could maybe, possibly, hypothetically, bring to the table - if they were a pink flying unicorn with a PhD in everything.

What it is not is a compelling invitation to apply.

They read, they self-discriminate against your impossible criteria, they close the tab.

Long, Demanding Lists Don’t Attract. They Repel.

Is a list of duties and requirements enough?

Absolutely not.

Studies show candidates skim job adverts in just 6–14 seconds before deciding whether to keep reading or move on. On average, you’ve got about 50 words of attention to win them over.

So if your post starts with something like:

““We are seeking a dynamic, results-oriented professional with a proven track record of operational excellence to proactively support complex, day-to-day business functions, streamline multifaceted workflows, and ensure strict adherence to established procedures, compliance frameworks, and time-sensitive deliverables across cross-departmental initiatives. Key responsibilities include:

• Orchestrating and facilitating high-impact, cross-functional meetings to guarantee strategic alignment across diverse stakeholder groups

• Proactively managing stakeholder expectations through comprehensive reporting mechanisms, detailed milestone tracking, and transparent escalation protocols

• Coordinating, monitoring, and overseeing vendor relationships and third-party deliverables in line with contractual obligations and service-level agreements

• Ensuring rigorous compliance with internal processes, regulatory standards, and industry best practices, while maintaining continuous process improvement initiatives"

Blah, blah, blah... Scroll, scroll, scroll…

…you’ve already made it hard work, and candidates have moved on.

If your opening lines read like a recycled operations manual, you’ve missed your chance to hook anyone. Cold, task-heavy lists don’t spark curiosity - they prompt people to scroll away.

Trigger Emotion. Not Exhaustion.

Think about the last advert that made you want to buy something. It probably wasn’t an excel-style breakdown of product specifications.

I’m obsessed with how Magnum sells ice cream. They don’t lead with ingredient breakdowns, nutritional tables, or unit pricing. They sell pleasure. Glamour. Desire. Their ads feel rich and luxurious - and suddenly, you crave one.

That’s emotion at work.

And job ads are no different. The best ones make you feel something. Not just interest, but excitement, purpose, trust. A glimpse of who you could become in that role. Not “you’ll be responsible for…” but “you’ll help shape…”

Avoid Empty Phrases (Like ‘Exciting Opportunity’)

No one wakes up hoping to apply to a “one-of-a-kind position” or an “exciting opportunity”. These words are used so often they’ve stopped meaning anything at all.

If your job is exciting - show us what makes it so. What problem will this person solve? What growth will they experience? What kind of people will they work with?

Put yourself in their shoes and ask: Would I want to apply for this role based on this advert? If not, keep editing.

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

I’ve heard so many people say they don’t believe job adverts work anymore. They post something out of obligation, with no real energy behind it, and then act surprised when nothing comes back.

It’s a loop, the Pygmalion effect: low expectations, low effort, low return.

But if hiring is important (and it always is), then it’s worth doing well. Use the tools available. Talk to someone who knows how to write for attention. Even a well-crafted AI prompt can help you get unstuck and move beyond the bland and generic.

And Finally - Be Legally and Ethically Sound

This matters. Every region has its own employment law, and job adverts need to follow them. Did you know that in some countries, asking for “10+ years of experience” can now be flagged as discriminatory?

Instead, say: “People with deep or notable experience in…” It’s more inclusive. It opens the door. It respects the fact that expertise isn’t always linear.

If your job ad is the first window into your company, your values, your culture - then don’t treat it like a throwaway admin task.

Make it matter. Make it count. Make it worth someone’s time.

And please, stop trying to attract unicorns. They don’t exist - and even if they did, they wouldn’t apply to that ad.