Job Advertisement Template — Free Download
Download our job advertisement template in MS Word format.
Download NowHow to Write a Job Advertisement:
A step-by-step guide to creating a job advertisement that gets noticed on job boards or the always busy free job posting sites.
Introduce your company and your open position.
Use and appropriate job title.
This is the most important part when you’re posting to job boards. When you write your title, avoid using internal titles or jargon. Rather, include the industry-standard name of the position and list the type of employment, expected hours, salary, and location.
List the key benefits of the position.
This is one to three bullet points that list the best parts of the job and why candidates should be interested in it. This can include the benefits of the position for the candidate, what the candidate will do, and a company highlight.
Introduce your company.
This is a short description of your business that tells candidates why they should work for you. Keep your introduction short and concise, and include information on your company culture.
Write your job description.
Include a job summary.
This should be one or two lines that include essential information about the job. You should phrase your summary in such a way that candidates are excited about working at your company because of what's in it for them. Your summary should be short and specific with great use of action verbs, such as "manage," "create," "own," or "build."
Describe the role and daily duties.
This part can be done in bullet format, and should include some of the key responsibilities that the successful candidate will be doing on a daily basis. Include up to five bullet points and be specific so that candidates can determine whether they should apply or not.
List the essential skills and qualifications.
Candidates need to know what qualifications they need to be successful in any given role. List any qualifications, experience, skills, and personality traits that will help the candidate to carry out the job duties efficiently.
Spell out the application process.
Detail everything from when they first apply to when they get hired. This way, candidates won't be left in the dark about what happens next. This is especially important if you have a role that is a one-interview hire. Candidates that are immediately available will jump on roles like this as they can secure a job in days rather than weeks.
Be sure to include details about what the candidate should include in their application, how they should apply, and the closing date for applications.
Edit your job posting and check your contact information.
Have other people read it.
Treat this job post writing exercise just as you would any other important piece of company marketing. Get multiple people to read it and provide you with honest feedback. Make sure you have fixed any errors before you post the job to hundreds of job boards.
Improve your email responses.
Look at all the emails that you send to candidates at each step of the hiring process. Pick them apart and ensure they are clear, personal, and continue to sell the candidate on the role at every step. A poor first response to a candidate's application will undo all the good work you did in the job post by getting them to apply.
Job Descriptions Are Not Job Posts:
A job description should be a detailed — if somewhat dry — description of the responsibilities and expectations for a job that a company uses internally. A job posting is meant to sell applicants on your company, team, location, and all the things that make working for you great. That’s what you should be posting to job boards.
Download our Job Advertisement Examples:
Download all 3 of our job advertisement examples, with a generic "help wanted" ad template.
1. Truck driver advertisement example.
2. Business analyst employment advertisement example.
3. Registered nurse job advertisement example.
Download NowTop 3 Job Advertisement Writing Tips:
A little extra work on your job listing won't cost much but will have big results. The key is knowing exactly what will most interest candidates in your job.
1. Use Glassdoor as a research tool.
Go to Glassdoor's home page, type in the job you're hiring for, clear the location field, and search. Click on a company in the left column, then click on their reviews — you'll see them in the tab above the company description.
Scroll through the reviews and read the "Cons" section. Look through a couple of companies until you have a list of cons that come up repeatedly. Use these in your ad. For instance, if many people complain about being micromanaged, include "Tired of being micromanaged?"
2. Discuss the role with three different people.
To better understand the job advertisement you are writing, you should discuss it not only with the hiring manager, but also with someone who has had the job and someone who wants to hold the position. This way, you will gain a better understanding of what the role requires and what makes it appealing to candidates.
Don't make this discussion part of the recruiting process. Rather, use sites like LinkedIn to find people who hold the job title and tell them you are recruiting for the role but are contacting them because you want to understand the role better.
3. Ask your employees what they love about the job.
No one knows what it's like to work at your company better than your employees. Ask them what they like about the company location, what is different about working for your company, what they love most, and if there is anything specific they would enjoy telling potential hires about the company.
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