University of Connecticut
Department of Human Resources

Employment Advertising Manual

INTRODUCTION
BEFORE YOU START
WRITING THE AD
DECIDING WHEN AND WHERE TO ADVERTISE

INTRODUCTION

Under the University's decentralized budget model, departments have three options for placing employment ads:

Direct placement of employment ads in journals, publications and other media
Direct use of recruitment and advertising services of the advertising agency under contract with the University of Connecticut
Placing ads through the Advertising Services area in Human Resources

All three methods will provide results and differ only in how they reflect individual preferences.

The freedom to act does have responsibilities and accountabilities for departments regardless of which method is used. The department is accountable for ensuring that proper funds exist in the department budget to pay for any cost advertising. Payment of bills for employment advertising is also the direct responsibility of the department. Tracking recruitment and advertising efforts for mandated institutional reporting still requires departments to keep careful, written records on the entire search process, including the advertising portion.

Certain aspects of the search and advertising processes are not decentralized:

Search card sign-off for classification and compensation in Human Resources
Office of Diversity and Equity sign-off to initiate limited searches (internal and external)
Use of standard screening and Affirmative Action statements in ad copy (See "Affirmative Action Statement" section in this manual)
Classified search process (advertising, screening, posting and referral, job offer) in Human Resources
Public posting of jobs (University Opportunities Bulletin, Job Line, Web Page, and UCJOBS-listserv) in Human Resources

In addition, Human Resources offers the following employment services to departments:

Assistance with search process and search materials
Developing pools of applicants for recurring or temporary employment
Assistance with developing recruitment and advertising strategies
Writing and placing ads

For general search questions, call Employment Services Unit at (860) 486-2073. For direct assistance with employment advertising, call Advertising Services at (860) 486-0422.

BEFORE YOU START

Check the following before initiating your search:

Update the position job description - match duties, check for accuracy, focus on essential job functions not marginal duties.
Verify appropriate job classification, title, and salary range. Contact the H.R. Employment Services Unit for guidance and assistance at (860) 486-2073.
Anticipate timelines - plan realistically to accommodate contractual requirements, publishing deadlines, and adequate response time.
Review University hiring goals - contact Office of Diversity and Equity at (860) 486-2943.
Review and prepare a budget to insure adequate funding for salary, fringe benefits, advertising, and recruitment costs.
If applicable, consult and include search committee members throughout the entire search process to avoid errors and breakdowns.

WRITING THE AD

Tips for Writing Effective Ad Copy

The goals of writing effective ad copy are to get the attention of your target audience, keep the reader's interest, spark desire in the reader, and ultimately cause the reader to apply for your position.

Don't try to accomplish too much in your ad. It shouldn't be a complete job description.
Don't waste words. Be brief.
Be sure that your ad is clear.
Use short sentences, familiar words and personal pronouns.
Make your ad appealing.
Stay away from clichés.
Use the present, active voice.

Elements of the Employment Ad

Headline:

Identifies the title of the position, dictates where an ad is placed in a publication and ensures a response from the most suitable applicants. An example of an effective headline is "Mechanical Engineering - Assistant Professor" rather than simply "Assistant Professor."

Subhead:

Identifies the University of Connecticut, Department name and/or regional campus.

Body Copy:

Includes some or all of the following:

Brief description of the University/Department
Name of school or college
Briefly stated responsibilities and/or duties of the position
Educational/degree requirements and/or equivalency statement
Minimum required experience and specialized knowledge or training
Desirable qualifications
Full-time or part-time
Salary and benefits information
Position start (or available) date
Screening date statement:

Since personal outreach activities and strategies require time and effort, and screening dates may inadvertently exclude highly qualified applicants, you are encouraged to use one of the following statements:

Screening of applications will begin on (date) and continue until the position is filled.
Screening of applications will begin on (date) and continue until a suitable (acceptable) candidate is found.
Applications received by (date) will be given preference in the screening process.
For full consideration, submit letter of application and resume (curriculum vitae) by (date). Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Position will be available (date).
Target starting date for position is (date).

Contact the Office of Diversity and Equity at (860) 486-2943 for alternate options.

"Call to Action" Information:

How does someone apply for this position?
Do they need to send some combination of the following?
Letter of Application
Curriculum Vita/Resume
Letters of Recommendation
Evidence of Publication Record
Cover Letter
Writing Samples
Research Interests

Contact Information

To whom and where should application materials be sent?

Position Search Number (Search #).

Affirmative Action Statement/Legal Issues

The University of Connecticut has a strong commitment to affirmative action and employment advertising is the employer's first public notice of that intention. Careful attention should be given to any potentially offensive or discriminatory statements in advertisements. In general, when in doubt, leave it out! Employment advertisers should also be aware that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 has raised additional issues. Wording in advertisements focusing on the job process rather than job results can be viewed as discriminatory. For example, instead of stating "A valid CT driver's license is required for this position," the ad should read "Travel is required." Similarly, an ad that states "applicants must be able to transport 50 pounds" does not exclude the candidates that the statement "applicants must be able to lift and carry 50 pounds" might. Awareness and sensitivity can help to avoid problems. ADA issues may be addressed by calling the University's ADA Coordinator at (860) 486-2943. One of the following approved affirmative action statements must appear in employment ads:

In keeping with our commitment to build a culturally diverse community, the University of Connecticut invites applications from women, people with disabilities, and members of minority groups.
At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community. We actively encourage women, people with disabilities, and members of minority groups to apply.
The University of Connecticut actively solicits applications from minorities, women, and people with disabilities.
The University of Connecticut encourages minorities, women, and people with disabilities to apply for this position.
We encourage applications from under-represented groups, including minorities, women, and people with disabilities.

DECIDING WHEN AND WHERE TO ADVERTISE

A consideration to be made before writing ad copy is where you plan to advertise your position. The publication in which the ads will run may have a major impact on the length of the ad and whether to use column (line) ads or display ads.

Who is Your Target Audience?

The first step in determining where to advertise is to determine the target audience. The following questions are helpful in determining where to advertise:

Where would the greatest number of people with the required qualifications/specifications or applicants currently in this title be looking for information on available jobs? (Local Newspapers/Trade Journals)
Is this position at a level that would justify a national search? Would the average person realistically move across the country for this position?
In past departmental searches, where did the most highly qualified applicants apply from?
What publications would reach members of under-represented groups?

Answering these questions will help you to narrow down the list of potential employment advertising publications. The Employment Advertising Coordinator may be able to give immediate input on what publications have been successful for a similar position in the past or may call on the services of the University's advertising agency to do some in-depth media research. Another resource for determining where to advertise is to seek input from members of the search committee.

What Media is Available to you as an Employment Advertiser?

The traditional employment advertising media used are newspapers (local & national) and trade/professional journals. These are still the most common types of media used at the University of Connecticut. In addition to offering University position openings in the printed format of the UConn Opportunities Bulletin, the Department of Human Resources also has available the UConn Job Information Line which provides recorded messages of available positions at UConn through Voice Mail. Job information is also accessible at the Human Resources Web Site. We also have a listserv (UCJOBS-L) for positions, to which anyone may subscribe if they have an e-mail address. Many organizations and publications also include web pages, list-servs (e-mail notification) and other services in addition to or instead of print media.

Best Times to Advertise

Determining the best time to advertise hinges greatly on the type of position being advertised and the media being used. For example, in newspaper advertising, the best day to advertise is usually Sunday. Newspaper advertising is usually less effective on holiday weekends and for that reason, departments are encouraged not to advertise at those times unless absolutely necessary. As soon as an approved search is received every attempt is made to ensure that newspaper ads are placed in the first weekend possible on the most suitable day for each publication. Because most ads are placed in trade/professional publications which have various publishing schedules, meeting advertising deadlines requires a great deal more advance planning than newspapers. Missing a publication deadline by one day may mean waiting months for the next issue. It is for this reason that departments are encouraged to work with the University's advertising agency or the Department of Human Resources advertising contact to determine critical deadlines so that every attempt can be made to meet those deadlines.

Payment Process

Advertising under the decentralized budget model means that all departments are responsible for paying the entire cost of bills. Bills from the advertising agency under contract with the University of Connecticut will go directly to the Accounts Payable Office for payment with your FRS code on the bill. The ad agency will get the FRS code and other pertinent information from your "Advertising Estimate/Authorization" or "Professional Paid Advertising Supplement" form that you provided with the on-line search attachements to Human Resources. Any ads you place directly with vendors will be billed to your department based on the instructions you fax to the vendor on the "Advertising Estimate/Authorization" form. Bills from ads placed directly can be paid on a CO-17 form if they are under $2,000.00 or on your department's Procard (if the cost is under $1,000 - Purchasing Card Program: http://www.purchasing.uconn.edu/purchasingcard/purchasingcard.html). For bills greater than that amount, a purchase order must be obtained from Purchasing and publications will usually request this information before placing an ad. If you are planning to run an expensive ad, remember that Purchasing cannot produce a purchase order instantly. Plan ahead to allow them time to process your request. Do not hesitate to contact Accounts Payable if you have any problems with vendors regarding bills. Please remember to pay bills promptly to ensure that vendor services to other University departments are not affected.

01/2008

University of Connecticut Department of Human Resources