Writing a job vacancy in 7 steps

“A good job ad stands out, is easy to find online, is easy to scan, and paints a realistic picture of the position and your company”, says recruiter Claire Willekens. But how do you write a job ad that ticks all those boxes? Willens shares her tips and experiences.

The elements of a job ad

A clear structure allows jobseekers to quickly see whether the role is right for them. A job advertisement written in your company’s own style also shows who you are as an employer and helps candidates decide whether they’re a good fit for your organisation. Write clearly and, above all, be honest. Overly positive descriptions often lead to disappointment later on.

1. Job title

The job title is the first thing people see. It is important for online visibility, but also for attracting the right applicants. Be as specific as you can. ‘Communications adviser’ is better than ‘adviser’. You could also mention your sector, or location. Keep the title as short as possible. Make your job titles suitable for everyone: for example, use a gender neutral job title.

“Use keywords that potential candidates are likely to include in their online searches”, Willekens recommends. “This will increase the findability of your job listing on search engines and job boards like Indeed or Google for Jobs.”

2. Job description

Describe the role. Outline the day-to-day activities of the job, what team the candidate will be working in, and what their workplace will look like. Provide a realistic and engaging summary that will appeal to good candidates. Use the following sentences and complete them:

• You will be responsible for..
• Your main duties will be...
• Your team will consist of ... and your role will be ...
• On a typical day, you will...

3. Job requirements

Job requirements are the experience and skills needed for a particular job. For example, level of education, number of years’ work experience, and competencies (skills and traits). Keep it short,  3 to 7 requirements are enough. The more requirements you ask for the fewer people will respond so you risk missing out on good candidates.

4. Offer

Next, tell potential candidates what you have to offer. State whether you offer an open-ended or fixed-term contract and how many hours a week. Mention primary employment conditions, like salary, working hours, and leave. “Salary is often negotiated at a later stage”, Willekens adds. “So some companies avoid mentioning salary in job ads. They assume that they will figure it out with the candidate later. I do usually mention a salary range in ads for 2 clear reasons”, Willekens continues: “First, you create realistic expectations and prevent disappointing situations in the future. Secondly, the more details you provide - like location, salary, and application deadline - the more findable your ad will be on search engines and job boards.”

Make sure to mention your secondary employment conditions too, like leave and pension schemes. “Highlight what makes you special, like offering free lunches, gym memberships, or flexible working hours”, Willekens explains. “If you are not looking for self-employed professionals and freelancers, mention this clearly.” It is also worth mentioning career opportunities. That way, you are not just offering a job, but a career.”

5. Company information

Always provide some company information. What does your company do and what do you stand for? Rxplain what the atmosphere is like and how people work together.

6. Application procedure

Finally, explain how candidates can apply, their expected timeline, and who they should contact for more information. That way, candidates know what to expect.

7. Application deadline

End your job ad with the application deadline: the date you stop accepting new applications. Including a deadline encourages potential applicants to act.

A few more tips

With these 7 elements, your job posting is complete. Now you can sharpen it a bit. Help the scanning reader by keeping your job posting short and clear: 

• Paragraphs should be no more than 6 lines 
• Your job ad should not be longer than 1 A4 
• In each section, mention the most important element first
• Use lists 
• Use clear headings, such as 'what we offer you'
• Use short sentences
• Steer clear of clichés if you want your job ad to stand out. 'Dynamic', 'Wizard', '9-to-5 mentality', and 'passionate' are all best avoided.
• Make sure that your job ad is mobile friendly
• Only set relevant requirements You may not ask about age, gender, background, health status, sexual orientation, religion, or political views. Doing so is punishable by law, although there are some exceptions. Dutch Law requires employers to offer equal opportunities (in Dutch) during the recruitment and selection process.

Job vacancies are found not only via search engines such as Google, but also via AI such as ChatGPT or Copilot. AI often selects texts that are clear and well-structured. These tips will help ensure that your job vacancy is also found quickly by AI.

Example of a job ad

If you are still unsure of what a good job ad looks like, here is a good example (PDF).

Posting a job ad

Ready to post your job ad? This is how you can increase your reach:

• Job boards. Job boards attract job seekers so your ad will be seen by the right people. Not sure which job board to choose? Business Insider has a list of the largest job boards (in Dutch).
• Your own website. Make sure that search engines can easily find your job ad.
• Your network. Ask your network to share your job ad. Ask friends, acquaintances, and employees. You could even offer a referral bonus to employees.