Stop Writing Job Ads for Job Seekers: How to Write Feed Ads for Passive Candidates

Most of the people you want to hire aren't looking for a job. So why is every job ad written for someone who is?

I keep thinking about this, because it's such a weird habit when you look at it. Companies take the exact text they put on a job board, the title, the "what we offer," the list of requirements, and they run it as an ad on Instagram or LinkedIn. And then they're surprised it doesn't work. But it's not the same person reading it. Not even close.

Searching vs. scrolling

On a job board, people are searching. They typed "warehouse supervisor" into a search bar, they have a few tabs open, they're comparing. They want to know: is this the job I'm looking for, what does it pay, do I qualify. A job board ad that answers those questions fast does its job.

In a feed it's a completely different situation. Someone is on the couch, scrolling Instagram, watching videos from their friends, maybe a recipe, maybe some football highlights. They weren't planning to switch jobs today. They might be pretty okay with their job, or a bit bored, or annoyed with their manager since last Tuesday, but they're not looking.

That's a different person in a different mood. And they need a different message.

There's a name I use for that second person: the job scroller. A passive candidate who sees your job in their feed while they weren't looking at all.

Why a job ad that works on Indeed fails in a feed

A job board ad starts with the title. In a feed, the title doesn't mean anything yet. "Maintenance Technician (m/f/x), full-time, 40 hours" is a perfect first line for someone who searched for it. For someone scrolling it's just noise, it looks like a form.

Then comes the requirements list. On a job board that helps, people check if they qualify. But a passive candidate isn't checking anything. They haven't decided they care yet. You're asking them to qualify for something they don't even want yet, and that's backwards.

And then the CTA is "apply now." Which is a big ask, honestly. Applying means updating your CV, filling in a form, maybe explaining to yourself why you'd leave. Nobody who wasn't looking five seconds ago is ready for that.

There's one more thing that makes this harder. On Meta, job ads fall under the Special Ad Category for employment, which limits your targeting. Meta's own docs say you can't pick a specific gender, age options are mostly fixed to 18 through 65+, you can't exclude locations and you have to target at least a 15-mile (25 km) radius in the US and Canada, or 15 km in Europe. So you can't just aim the ad at exactly the right person. The ad itself has to do that work. The first line has to make the right person think "wait, that's me."

What makes a passive candidate stop

There are basically three things that make someone stop scrolling for a job they weren't looking for. Not more, I think. Most good feed ads use one of these.

1. A salary comparison. Money is the fastest way to make someone compare. "Maintenance technicians in [city]: most make $[X]. Here it's $[Y]." Now they're not reading an ad anymore, they're checking their own paycheck in their head. That only works if your number is actually good, of course. If it isn't, use one of the other two.

2. "Is this better than what I have now?" A passive candidate always compares with their current job. So help them do that. Shorter commute, no night shifts, a four-day week, a manager who actually knows the work. Pick the one thing that's clearly better than what most people in that role have now, and lead with it. Not five things. One.

3. A curiosity gap. Say something that makes them want to know the rest. "Why our technicians never work weekends." "The one question we ask in every interview." It has to be true, and the answer has to be in the ad or right after the click. Otherwise it's just clickbait and they'll feel tricked.

The small first step

This is where most feed ads go wrong, even the good ones. The hook works, someone stops, and then the CTA is "apply now." And they leave.

Think about it from their side. They weren't looking. They're curious now, a bit. Curious is not the same as "I'm ready to apply." So instead of asking for an application, ask for something much smaller. A step that feels like no commitment at all.

Things like "see the salary," "check if you fit in 60 seconds," or "talk to someone on the team." Those are steps a curious person can take without feeling like they're switching jobs. And once they've taken that step, the next one is a lot easier. It's the same idea as getting your application under 5 minutes, just one step earlier.

Same job, two ads

Here's what this looks like for the same job. This is a made-up example, no real company, with placeholders where your real facts go.

Maintenance Technician (full-time, 40 hours)
$[X] to $[Y] per year | [City]

We're looking for a Maintenance Technician for our production site in [city].

What you'll do:
- Preventive and corrective maintenance on production lines
- Troubleshooting mechanical and electrical failures
- Working with the production team to reduce downtime

What you bring:
- Vocational degree in mechanical or electrical engineering
- 3+ years of experience in maintenance
- Experience with PLCs

Apply now

That's fine for a job board, by the way. Someone searching for maintenance jobs gets what they need. Now the feed version:

Hook (first line):
Maintenance techs in [city]: when was the last time you had a weekend without a call?

Body:
Our technicians work Monday to Friday. No on-call weekends, ever.
You keep 3 production lines running, with a team of 4 and a manager who used to do your job.
$[X] to $[Y] a year.

CTA:
Check if you fit, takes 60 seconds

See the difference? The feed ad doesn't start with the job, it starts with the person. With something they deal with right now. The job comes second, the requirements barely come at all, and the ask is tiny. The requirements can come after the click, when someone actually cares.

If you want to check the job board version too, run it through the Job Ad Scorecard. And whatever version you run, get the clichés out first. "Dynamic team" doesn't stop anyone's thumb, more on that in The Cliché Tax.

10 hooks for feed ads

Fill in the brackets with your real facts. If you don't have a fact that's true, don't use that hook.

1. [Role]s in [city]: most make $[X]. Here it's $[Y].
2. [Role]s: when was the last time you had a weekend off without your phone?
3. Still driving [X] minutes to work? This [role] job is [Y] minutes from [area].
4. Your current [role] job vs. this one, in 3 lines.
5. Why our [role]s never [common pain: work nights / do on-call / work weekends].
6. We're looking for a [role] who's a bit bored where they are now.
7. [Role]: this is what a normal Tuesday looks like here.
8. If you've been a [role] for [X]+ years, you're probably underpaid. Check here.
9. The [role] job in [city] with [one clear benefit: a 4-day week / no night shifts].
10. Not looking for a new job? Good. This takes 60 seconds anyway.

Hook 8 only works if it's actually true for your market. Check your salary data before you use it.

5 low-commitment CTAs

1. See the salary
2. Check if you fit in 60 seconds
3. Talk to someone on the team
4. See what a day in the job looks like
5. Leave your number, we'll text you the details

The last one works well with Meta lead ads, because people don't have to leave the app. Just make sure someone actually texts them back the same day.

Template: turn a job board ad into a feed ad

This is the one to copy. Take your existing job board ad and go through it step by step. You can also paste it into ChatGPT or Claude with your ad underneath.

Step 1: Who is scrolling?
Role they have now: [same role / similar role]
What they probably dislike about their current job: [commute / nights / pay / manager / no growth]

Step 2: Pick ONE stop reason
[ ] Salary comparison: most [role]s make $[X], here it's $[Y]
[ ] Better than now: [the one thing clearly better than their current job]
[ ] Curiosity gap: [a true question or claim, with the answer in the ad]

Step 3: Write the hook (one line, max 15 words)
Start with the person, not the company. Use the role name they'd use themselves.
Hook: _______________________________________

Step 4: Write the body (max 3 short lines)
Line 1: the stop reason, backed by one fact
Line 2: what the job is, in plain words
Line 3: the salary range
Leave out: requirements, company history, benefit lists, clichés

Step 5: Pick a small first step
CTA: [See the salary / Check if you fit in 60 seconds / Talk to someone on the team / See a day in the job / Leave your number]

Step 6: What happens after the click
- The first screen shows: the salary, what the job is, and max 3 must-haves
- The first step takes under 60 seconds
- Someone follows up within [X] hours

Step 7: Make 2 or 3 versions
Same body and CTA, different hook. Run them side by side and keep the one that brings in the most finished applications, not the most clicks.

That last step is basically a mini version of testing 5 job titles, but with hooks. Same idea, change one thing at a time.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a job board ad and a feed ad?

On a job board, people are searching, so the ad should answer "is this the job I'm looking for?" fast. In a feed, people are scrolling and weren't planning to switch jobs, so the ad needs a reason to stop first and a very small first step, not a list of requirements.

What is a job scroller?

A passive candidate who sees your job in their feed while they weren't looking for one. They're not comparing jobs, they're scrolling, so they need a different message than someone on a job board.

Should a feed ad say "apply now"?

Usually not. Someone who wasn't looking five seconds ago isn't ready to apply. Ask for something smaller, like "see the salary" or "check if you fit in 60 seconds," and make the application the next step.

Can I target passive candidates by age or gender on Meta?

No. Job ads fall under Meta's Special Ad Category for employment, so you can't choose a gender, age is mostly fixed to 18 through 65+ and location targeting needs a minimum radius. That's why the hook has to do the targeting, it should make the right person think "that's me."

Sources

• Special Ad Category, Meta Marketing API documentation