Download Selecting an Advertising Strategy

Tool 5: Selecting an Advertising Strategy
What is the Main Goal?
The main goals of recruitment advertising are to make people aware of an ACTPS vacancy and to
encourage a wide range of suitable applicants. Taking time to consider your advertising strategy will
assist you in achieving a successful recruitment outcome.
What Should I Consider?
When determining your advertising strategy, you should consider the following questions:
Understanding the
Target Audience
Understanding the
Labour Market
Understanding the
Competition
1. Who is the target
audience you are
seeking to attract to
the vacancy?
1. How easy will it be
to attract suitable
applicants in the
labour market?
2. What are their key
demographics?
2. How strong is the
current demand for
the skill set you are
trying to recruit?
1. Are other
organisations
recruiting for, or
terminating
employees for a
similar role?
3. What are their key
media habits, and
what advertising
mediums are most
likely to reach them?
3. How closely does
your position
description match the
profile of candidates
available in the labour
market?
2. How similar are
other organisation’s
position descriptions?
3. Where are other
organisations typically
sourcing individuals
for this role?
Selecting an Advertising Strategy
It is a legislative requirement that all permanent ACTPS vacancies, and temporary vacancies of
six months of longer, are advertised in the online ACT Government Gazette, incorporated on
www.jobs.act.gov.au. The Jobs ACT website is designed to assist you with achieving successful
outcomes through the provision of a central, recognised platform for ACTPS recruitment advertising.
However, after considering the questions above you may consider utilising additional advertising
mediums to attract suitable applicants. Examples of possible advertising mediums include:

Online Recruitment websites – have the potential to reach a wide audience and allows
comprehensive information about the vacancy and the ACTPS to be provided, and is often
less expensive that most other forms of advertising media; or
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ACT Public Service Recruitment Guidelines, Tool 5: Selecting an Advertising Strategy

Recruitment Agencies – are useful to consider when there are skill shortages, a vacancy is
needed to be filled quickly, or potential applicants are to be head-hunted.
The use of print media for recruitment advertising must only be used for certain positions or
employee groups where it is considered advantageous or relevant. This is due to the high costs
associated with print media advertising compared to the marginal contribution to successful
recruitment outcomes.
If you have determined that your recruitment process would benefit from a more diversified
advertising strategy, Shared Services Recruitment can provide further advice relating to the scope of
advertising services available.
Advertising with an Attraction and Retention Incentive (ARIn) Amount
Before advertising any vacancy, the substantive classification of the role must have been assessed to
be correct. The classification must be one contained in the relevant Enterprise Agreement and
cannot be at an Executive level (if the classification is assessed as being incorrect, then the position
should be appropriately reclassified).
The position description and/or organisational structure of the business unit should be critically
examined to assess if they can be adjusted to mitigate the need for the ARIn. The role (or similar
role) must have been advertised, or have been recently advertised, without an ARIn.
If the field of applicants attracted from initial advertising is, or was, unsuitable, the position may be
re-advertised either with or without an ARIn and this should be discussed with the HR manager.
If the position is to be advertised with an ARIn, a submission to the Head of Service must be lodged
through the office of the Deputy Director-General, Workforce Capability and Governance, CMTEDD,
prior to re-advertising the role which addresses the value and circumstances of the proposed ARIn
and supplies the required evidentiary material to support the claim. A form for this purpose is
available through the Shared Services website.
Where a position is advertised with an ARIn, the advertisement should include the full dollar amount
offered, and note that the ARIn is reviewable every twelve months.
Selection committees need to inform applicants who apply for positions where an ARIn amount has
been placed within a job advertisement that the provision is subject to annual review and can be
terminated or its value altered either up or down dependent on it meeting varying eligibility criteria
including market rate.
Following the selection process, the successful applicant should be informed in the letter of offer
that an ARIn is not an entitlement. The provision of an ARIn, even one that is given immediately
upon commencement as result of a recruitment selection process, does not mean that the recipient
is entitled to be paid or afforded wages and/or conditions of employment expressed within it for the
duration of the recipients working life within the ACTPS.
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ACT Public Service Recruitment Guidelines, Tool 5: Selecting an Advertising Strategy