Job Advert Myths That Could Be Costing You Candidates

There’s a lot of noise out there about how to write the “perfect” job advert.
But here’s the truth. Most of the advice floating around doesn't cut it in a ‘real-world’ hiring environment, especially in pharmacy.

At Quad, we’ve seen countless job ads that looked great on paper but delivered absolutely nothing in terms of applications. Why? Because many employers are still relying on outdated advice, gut instinct, or copy-paste tactics that don’t reflect what candidates are actually looking for.

Let’s break down a few of the most common job advert myths. If any of these sound familiar, they might be holding you back.

Myth 1: “The more detail, the better.”

A job advert is not a job description. Candidates don’t need ten bullet points about tasks they already know how to do. Most pharmacists already understand what a day in the role looks like. What they really want to know is:

• What makes your pharmacy different
• What the working environment is like
• What kind of flexibility, support or progression is on offer
• Why should they choose you over the pharmacy down the road

The details matter, but they shouldn’t smother the message.

Myth 2: “If they want it badly enough, they’ll apply anyway.”

We hear this a lot from busy clients. And in theory, it sounds fair. But the market doesn’t work like that anymore.

Pharmacy professionals have options. If your advert is vague, unclear, cold, or uninspiring, they’ll scroll on. Not because they’re lazy, but because they’re in demand and they don’t have to settle. Plus, we’re in a digital era where the accessibility of other adverts and opportunities is as easy as a swipe…

A strong advert doesn’t just inform, it persuades.

Myth 3: “Salary doesn’t need to be listed.”

WRONG. It does. Or at the very least, you need to give a meaningful range. It’s the first thing anyone looks at, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

We know that some organisations are hesitant to publish pay, especially if they think they’ll be outbid. But in our experience, salary transparency boosts application rates significantly. It immediately makes applicants anxious and incredibly irritated by your lack of transparency.

If you’re not listing pay and your competitors are, guess who’s going to get the better applicants? Not you…

Myth 4: “We’ve always done it this way.”

This one is the silent killer. A lot of job ads haven’t changed in years. Same structure, same wording, same layout. Even the “benefits” list might still include things like ‘uniform provided’.

The pharmacy workforce has moved on. If your adverts haven’t, you will lose good people to employers who are keeping up with what matters now.

Applicants will also recognise your adverts and question the loyalty of previous staff, and see you as a business which has a high turnover. Keep changing it up.

Myth 5: “Writing an advert is easy.”

It should be, but it’s not. There’s a real skill in saying the right thing, in the right tone, to the right person, all in the space of a few paragraphs.

You’re not just writing to fill a vacancy. You’re writing to attract a human being who is weighing up whether this is the right next step for their career. That deserves more than a rushed post and a job title.

So, what should you do?

You don’t need to learn how to write perfect adverts. You just need someone who already knows how.

At Quad Recruitment, we don’t just fire off job ads and hope for the best. We write, test, and adjust based on real-time feedback from candidates. We know what works and what doesn’t because we do it every day.

Let’s take the guesswork out of it. If you're hiring for a pharmacist, dispenser, or technician, let us help you get the advert right from the start.

Need to hire? We’re here to help.
Call us on 01244 621477 or email info@quadrecruitment.com

OR you can upload your vacancy here and we'll take over the rest.