Writing a Job Ad That Actually Attracts Applicants

The balance of power has shifted: it is no longer only applicants who apply — companies have to apply too. With a low unemployment rate and a market carried by commuters, your ad competes with hundreds of others. A generic “We are … we are looking for …” is no longer enough.

The AIDA principle (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) has proven itself, combined with this structure:

1. Job title: clear, industry-standard, with keywords — “Marketing Specialist (m/f/d)” instead of “Marketing Rockstar”. About 60 characters max, the key info in the first 40.
2. Company intro: three to five sentences (around 500 characters), no more — otherwise no one scrolls to the role.
3. Tasks: three to six concrete bullet points, sorted by importance. No clichés like “exciting tasks”.
4. Requirements: honest and focused. Excessive wish lists scare off good people.
5. Benefits: concrete (salary range, home office, training, commuting perks).
6. Call to action: a straightforward way to apply, a clear contact person.

Yes. A salary range increases credibility and the number of qualified applications — candidates can judge whether the role fits without you committing to a fixed figure. Especially in the competition for commuters, salary transparency is an advantage. The Liechtenstein wage statistics offer guidance (median wage 2024: CHF 7’401).

• Think of commuters: 57.4 % of employees commute in. Actively address the regional talent pool (Vorarlberg, St. Gallen Rhine Valley, Werdenberg, Sarganserland).
• Name commuting perks: accessibility, parking, public-transport links, flexible hours.
• Mobile first: most people read ads on a smartphone — short paragraphs, bullet points, clear structure.
• Real photos instead of stock: real employees and workplaces create credibility.
• Use gender-neutral wording (“(m/f/d)”) and check it legally.

Use the terms your target group actually searches for (function, industry, location) in the title and text. On job portals and in Google, your ad then becomes the answer to specific search queries. For maximum reach and qualified applications from the region, post your role on joblie.li.

An effective ad is concrete, honest, mobile-optimised and transparent on salary — and it considers the commuter talent pool from the start. For how to set up the whole recruiting process, see the guide Finding employees in Liechtenstein.