Organisations of every size have an employer brand. A perception of what it’s like to work there, that
either helps or hinders in hiring great people. Successful organisations leverage this brand to help attract
and keep top talent, and to reduce recruitment costs. The opportunity lies in defining your organisation’s
key candidate drivers, and then communicating these to the most appropriate people, through the most
relevant channels.

A job ad is often the first impression that a candidate will have of your organisation. Most job ads are
written ambiguously, talk little about the workplace and employer brand and more about a long list of skills
they are looking for. Top candidates will not be attracted to this repetitve job description that they see time
and time again.

This template is designed to really get you thinking about ‘why’ a candidate should want to work for you,
‘how’ you can offer value to each other and ‘what’ this involves. Answering the following questions will help
you craft a job ad that attracts not only top candidates but those that align with your values.

About The Company:

“Yes. We are in fact really unique and we kick ass. Here’s why…“ – Be genuine and set your self apart from the competitors that the candidate is probably considering applying to.

About Your Boss:

“He/She’s the bomb!” Talk about their accomplishments and how they will help the candidate achieve the same

About Your Team:

Why is your team amazing? Talk about birthday celebrations, team activities, company days out. Share team bios to paint a picture of the company culture.

What You Get To Do:

Talk about the candidate’s responsibilities and opportunities to learn.

Your Training:

“We believe in career and personal growth and this is how we will help you…” Talk about the things that candidates will learn on the job and the training programs that will help up-skill them.

Your Career Opportunities:

“People that have previously been in your position have been promoted into XYZ and so forth. Tell us if you want to be the CEO one day and we will support you.” Talk about how their career possibilities are endless!

Your Benefits:

Feel free to really lay it all out. If your offered salary isn’t competitive this can really make a perceived difference. If it’s a dogfriendly office then let people know their pooch can join them.

What We Expect From You:

“…and here’s what we want and expect so that you can succeed in your role.” Let the candidate know what you expect from them in exchange for what they should expect from you.

Then include the essential information – use the checklist below as a guide:

Job Title

• Having a job title that is searchable and straightforward is important. When you write out your job title, make sure that it is:
• Honest and doesn’t exaggerate the role’s importance.
• Search-friendly – don’t try to be too creative with the title. Candidates won’t look beyond the title if they don’t understand what you’re looking for.
• Free of gender or age implications.
• Descriptive of how the role ranks with other positions in the company.
• Comparable to similar jobs in the industry

Why join us?

This is the company overview section. Use it to describe why the candidate should join your company and try to keep it concise. Think about including:

• Your company’s mission, vision, and values.
• A description of the culture and the team the candidate would join.
• Your company’s past successes and industry impact.
• Any benefits the employee can expect.
• The company growth metrics.

What we are looking for… 

This is your opportunity to describe your ideal candidate, and grab the attention of prospects that fit the description. Consider including:

• The traits the candidate you’re looking for should have and key job requirements.
• The skills and experience that are essential for the role.
• The attributes of top performers at your company.
• If the position is full-time or part-time, paid or unpaid, or an internship.
• The location and whether or not travel is required (and how much).

The impact you’ll have

• Illustrate what the candidate’s day-to-day will look like and the opportunity she or he will have for career advancement.
• Express the value the position has within the company.
• Describe the role and responsibilities. Try to include 5-10 responsibilities.
• Begin each responsibility with an action verb in present tense. For example, “drive product naming” or “elevate the client experience.”
• Don’t try to hide drawbacks with clever language – consider adding a “worst part of the job” section. 

Sound like you? Apply now! 

• Make the application process easy.
• Optimize your careers page for mobile.
• Save candidates some time by allowing them to apply with their LinkedIn profile.

Learn more about (your company)

• Use this section to include any further relevant information about your company.
• Try embedding a company culture video to mix things up!

Contact information

• Don’t make the mistake of leaving out contact information. Include the recruiter’s email and phone number so that applicants can apply and ask questions.