In the competitive London tech market, we often talk about candidates ghosting employers. But have you ever considered that your recruitment process might be doing the same to them?

For digital, data, and technology (DDaT) professionals, the first impression of your organisation is the job advert. If that advert is buried under jargon, lacks essential details, or is physically difficult to read, you are effectively ghosting top talent before they even hit the apply button.

Here are some tips on how to ensure your job ads are welcoming rather than off-putting.

1. The silence of the missing salary

The most common way to ghost a DDaT professional is to leave out the salary. In local government, we sometimes feel shy about our pay scales compared to the private sector, but salary information is not optional.

Including a clear pay scale significantly increases application rates. Beyond the numbers, transparency reduces the gender pay gap and signals to candidates from diverse backgrounds that you are a fair employer. If a candidate doesn’t see a salary, many will simply move on, assuming the role isn’t worth their time.

2. The readability roadblock

The format of your advert is just as important as its content. If your advert is a wall of dense text, many people will simply turn away.

Make sure you structure your advert so that it can be read easily by everyone, including people who use assistive technology or those with neurodivergent conditions. True accessibility means ensuring your ‘digital front door’ is wide open to everyone.

To make your ad truly accessible, use a gender decoder to ensure your language isn’t inadvertently leaning towards masculine stereotypes that put off brilliant female applicants. Deliberately and consciously review your ad for unconscious cultural bias.

Gender decoders:

• YourDandI
• Applied
• Kat Matfield

Unconscious bias checker:

• Applied
• Textio

Another common mistake is to hide the job description and person specification, making it really difficult for candidates to refer to it during their application! Make sure the link to the role profile is really prominent and clear, and ensure that it makes sense out of context.  Don’t bury it at the end of the advert and never use “click here” or, even worse, just “here”!

More tips on basic accessibility:

• AbilityNet – A beginner’s guide to digital accessibility
• Webaim – 25 Accessibility Tips to Celebrate 25 Years

3. Sell the mission, not the bureaucracy

London’s DDaT professionals are often driven by more than just money; they want to see the social impact of their work. Don’t make candidates read a long paragraph about how great your council is before they get to the job details. Put the mission of the role front and centre.

Consider adding a “week in the life of” section to either your ad or role profile. This brings the role to life and helps candidates from the private sector understand how their skills apply to local government.

4. Help candidates to succeed from the start

Empower your applicants by providing resources that help them navigate the recruitment process. Sharing these guides can reduce candidate anxiety and ensure you see the very best version of every applicant.

LOTI’s Guidance for Applicants:

• What to expect when applying to work in local government – A high-level overview of the process to help demystify how councils hire. 
• 10 ways to fail a local government job application – Common pitfalls to avoid during the initial application stage.
• Crafting your winning local government supporting statement – Advice on how to demonstrate minimal viable essentials and transferable skills.
• Crafting your winning CV – Tips on how candidates can best present their experience and training.
• How to be a STAR at your local government interview – A guide to using the STAR technique to demonstrate concrete skills and tasks.

5. Focus on optimising the candidate experience.

Finally, remember that the candidate experience is a key part of your brand. Make yourselves as accessible as possible from the start – include the contact details of someone with whom potential candidates can have an informal chat about the role and your organisation.

If your online system allows, configure it to regularly prompt people who have started but not yet completed their application. Proactively notify candidates of any delays in shortlisting. If a candidate feels ignored during the application process, they will assume that will be what it’s like to work for you.

By auditing your language, focusing on essentials, and designing for accessibility, you can stop ghosting your best candidates and start building the diverse, talented team your borough deserves.

Find out more in the LOTI guide

Good recruitment which is inclusive and accessible isn’t just about fairness; it’s also a smart strategy. A diverse workforce helps you tap into a wider talent pool, leading to a more creative and engaged team.

The LOTI Guide to Better Recruitment 2026 outlines specific measures councils can take at each stage of the recruitment process to increase their chances of reaching the broadest audience and successfully hiring.