Advertising costs

All costs incurred in advertising post funded by research accounts are to be met by the research fund rather that UCD HR.

Watching for hidden costs

If you are proceeding to advertise it is important to note that enquiries to publications seeking projected costs may themselves incur a charge as copy has to be prepared in order to estimate cost of placing the advertisement. Press and journal listings are significantly more expensive than web-sites

Is there a limit to the amount of ad’s I can request?

• The cost of advertising will generally dictate the amount of advertising which takes place. All costs are borne by the research account.
• UCD HR Resourcing Team will facilitate the advertising or your post on any number of locations i.e. press/journals and/or web-sites, having first confirmed your willingness to cover the estimated costs.

How much more expensive are press/journal advertisements compared to online advertising?

• Costs for both journal and web-based advertising can vary greatly, but on the whole the cost of specialist press/journal advertisements are often in excess of a €1000, whilst a web-based advertisement may cost as little as €40.
• HR Resourcing does have subscription based memberships with a number of web-advertising locations and your post can be advertised on these sites free of charge. This includes appropriate research funded posts.

Once the post is approved and a Job Description is received by HR Resourcing Team, the position should be advertised on the Work at UCD website within 3 working days.

All posts will be advertised for a minimum of 1 week. A longer closing date may be appropriate for some positions. UCD HR will discuss this with you in advance of advertising.

On occasion, your role may benefit from additional advertising via social media. By default, advertisements are placed on UCD's LinkedIn page but you are free to use other social channels that are available to you. UCD HR can provide you with a deep link to the vacancy location on the e-recruitment system which you can use to quickly bring candidates to the application point.

Never accept applications directly from candidates. Regardless of the social channel used, only applications submitted via UCD's online recruitment system before the official closing date will be considered.

Improve your chances of success:

• Use an image in your post
• Combine your ad with interesting content about your unit, research projects or UCD more generally
• Pick your time carefully!
  • Most job searches on Monday-Wednesday, during work hours. Much lower view-count on Friday afternoon
  • If you're aiming at a distant audience, take time-zone information into account
• Share more than once (but not every day)
• See if team members or other colleagues can share

You can maximize the impact of your advertisement by partnering with existing (relevant) social media channels. View the full list of social media sites in the UCD Social Media Directory.

Circulating your advertisement via membership lists can be a useful way to target a very niche audience.

UCD HR Resourcing Team will attempt to place your ad in any location you request, but certain membership based distribution lists are often outside our advertising scope.

In these instances HR will seek to register the University as a member of the site with a view to gaining access to a targeted distribution list. When membership is restricted to professionals and/or colleagues of a particular discipline, it is recommended that you check to see if a colleague within the School is already a member of the site, and therefore, able to submit an advertising request on our behalf.

Cost of journal advertising

The assigned HR Resourcing Administrator can advise you of your options here, but it is important to note that costs incurred as a result of additional advertising will largely be borne by the research account.

Advertising in international press/journal sources: Journals can be useful for targeting a specific market but they are a costly option. These advertisements require assistance from our external advertising agency.

Please note that, as UCD HR will be subject to agency deadlines, timelines and competition closing dates are likely to be impacted upon.

International journal advertising

With support from our external advertising agency HR is able to target any press/journal or website worldwide, assuming of course they are publically selling advertising space and funding exists to cover the expense.

Journals with online sites

HR Resourcing Team would strongly recommend you forgo the expense of advertising in press/journal locations if a web based alternative is available. 

Apart from being more cost effective, the level of detail HR can place in a web ad would not be restricted in the same way published advertisements would be i.e. cost is relative to size. In both cases you will reach your target audience, but a web-listing will always remain visible for longer.

Is there always a web-based alternative to press/journal advertising?

As an incentive, some press / journal sources will often include a free web-listing on their site should you agree to place a published ad. Unfortunately, this will often mean that a particular web-site is restricted to advertisers who have paid to advertise in the Journal.

Reducing your costs

Specialist or individual advertisements should only contain the essential elements necessary to attract applicants and refer them to complete details held on the Work at UCD website. This minimalist style also serves to reduce the overall cost of placing press/journal advertisements

On occasion, particular roles may require, or benefit from, advertising in the national press. Because of the need to engage advertising agencies, the cost of such advertising is considerable and is largely borne by the hiring unit.

Your Resourcing Consultant can advise on the timelines, costs and requirements associated with the various national publications. They can also advise on possible alternatives.

When advertising in the press, it is important to note that timelines are driven by the agency and the publication rather than UCD HR so it is less suitable for posts which have a very short lead-in time.

Under the Research Careers Framework it was agreed that all Research Funded positions must be advertised to ensure openness and transparency. Please refer to the information below for clarification.

New Grant/Funding PDI

• Advertise: Yes
• Exceptions: Yes
• Exception Details: If the funding has been awarded on the basis of a named individual then a contract can be offered without advertising the post (e.g. Marie Curie IRCSET INSPIRE awards to specific researchers).

New Grant/Funding PDII

• Advertise: Yes
• Exception: Yes
• Exception Details: If the funding has been awarded on the basis of a named individual then a contract can be offered without advertising the post (e.g. Marie Curie IRCSET INSPIRE awards to specific researchers).

Additional Funding to an existing project PDI or PDII

• Advertise: Yes
• Exception: Yes
• Exception Details:
  • If the funding has been awarded on the basis of a named individual then a contract can be offered without advertising the post (e.g. Marie Curie IRCSET INSPIRE awards to specific researchers).
  • If the additional funding is for less than 2 years and will enable the incumbent to complete their current level, a further contract may be offered without advertising to enable completion of the level (PDI or PDII)

Short Term Post i.e. Maternity leave, Leave of Absence

• Advertise: Yes
• Exception: No
• Notes: Could be advertised and filled internally from the Skilled Resource Pool or by a PDI or PDII coming to the end of their current contract

New Grant/Funding Research Fellow

• Advertise: No
• Exception: Yes
• Exception Details: This does not need to be advertised if this is prestigious independent funding awarded to an individual following a competitive peer reviewed process Exception: If it is decided that a particular programme of work on a large, complex research project requires a Research Fellow level appointment to lead that work. In this case the Research Fellow may not be in receipt of their own funding, and would work under the direction of the PI/Grant holder, This must be approved by the Head of School, College Vice Principal for Research and Innovation and College Principal and advertised. In addition, the interview panel must also include one of these approvers and a delegate of one of the others.

Additional Funding to an existing project for Research Fellow

• Advertise: No
• Exception: No
• Notes:
  
  • If this is prestigious independent funding awarded to an individual following a competitive peer reviewed process
  • Incumbent originally had a specified purpose contract and original funding did not enable completion of the project. In this scenario a new contract would not be required and incumbent would continue with the project through to completion.

Research Fellow position arising from a review under ‘bespoke’ contract arrangement

• Advertise: Yes
• Exception: No
• Notes:
  
  • Approval for a bespoke contract/advertisement approved in first instance approved by Head of School, College Vice Principal for Research and Innovation. Interview board will have included one of the approvers and a delegate of another approver.
  • The review built into the contract should be led at College Level by the College Vice Principal or their nominee and 2 Heads of School.