Style and language
The style and language of your advert are likely to be different depending on whether you are advertising in the printed media or online. However, the following points about style and language apply to all job adverts, regardless of the media used:
- Use short sentences. More than 15 words in a sentence reduces the clarity of the meaning. After drafting your communication, seek out commas and 'and's and replace with full stops.
- Use short bite-sized paragraphs and bullet points – this is particularly important for online adverts. (NB. Bullet points may be more costly for print media which is charged according to space.)
- Use “you” instead of “we need” and “must have” - this will make applicants feel more affinity with the role, e.g. “You should be passionate about digital media and the Internet with a keen interest in everything to do with advertising and media” sounds softer and will appeal more to a jobseeker than: “The successful candidate will be passionate about digital media and the Internet; s/he must have a keen interest in everything to do with advertising and media”.
- Try to avoid upper-case (capitals) even in headings as it is very much slower to read owing to the absence of word shapes, and is also less accessible for people with reading difficulties. Increase prominence by using a larger point-size and emboldening.
- Avoid italics, shadows, and light colours reversed out of dark, all of which reduce readability. Use simple black (or dark coloured) text on a white (or light coloured) background for maximum readability.
Oxford house style
When placing an advert in the external press, TMP (the University’s advertising agency, formerly Tribal) will set the text into the agreed Oxford advert template.
For further guidance on the conventions of writing in the Oxford style, see the Writing and Style Guide.