Write a job advertisement that gives applicants the information they need

A useful job ad answers the questions an applicant would otherwise have to email you about: what the work involves, where it happens, the agreed working pattern, pay information and the application process. Build it from an approved role description. If the hours or pay are still undecided, settle them before asking people to commit time to an application.

This guide helps you edit the candidate-facing advert. Use the job-description worksheet for the internal role first. The example below shows the structure and wording decisions; it does not set a pay rate or approve employment terms.

Put the decision-making information near the top

Use a recognisable job title and a short sentence about the work. Follow with the actual location, on-site or remote arrangements, employment type, hours and approved pay information. Separate base pay from super and other components so a reader can understand what a figure includes.

Do not make a promise you have not agreed internally. "Flexible hours" is unhelpful if the desk must be covered every afternoon. Describe the coverage requirement and what can be discussed. State travel or multiple-site work when it is part of the job.

Fair Work: job ads explains the rules on advertised pay, including specific requirements for pieceworker ads. Confirm the applicable minimums and how the figure will be expressed before publication. Keep the approved pay details with the final advert.

Replace vague phrases with information

Draft phrase	Clearer candidate-facing wording	Editorial check
Office superstar wanted	Administration coordinator: organise bookings and prepare job paperwork.	Can applicants identify the job?
Must thrive under pressure	When two urgent requests arrive, explain how you would check deadlines and tell the supervisor what cannot be completed together.	Does the requirement describe an assessable task?
Great flexibility	The desk needs coverage during the hours listed in the approved role. Tell us what arrangements you would like to discuss.	Insert the real coverage details; don't imply unlimited choice.
Excellent package	Show the approved pay range and whether the stated figures include super, plus the agreed hours and employment type.	Get the figures and legal checks completed before posting.
Apply now	Send a CV and a short example of correcting a booking or record error through the named application channel. Give the closing date and contact.	Ask only for evidence you will use.

Original ASBG worksheet. Names, situations and figures are fictional; the readable table is the text equivalent.

The last two rows are completion instructions, not text to paste into an advert unchanged. Filling them with verified business details is part of getting the ad ready. Avoid a made-up salary range simply to make a specimen look finished.

Make the application instructions usable on a phone

Tell applicants which documents you need, accepted file types, the closing date and time zone, and how to ask a question. Keep a plain-text copy available. If a portal forces a long form, explain the steps and provide a way to discuss access barriers.

A concise example might ask for a CV and one short work example. Do not request an essay for each duty if the shortlist only needs three pieces of evidence. Test the actual application link on a phone, including the upload and confirmation steps. Make sure enquiries go to a monitored account.

Check that the advert and assessment agree

An applicant should not discover an undisclosed requirement during the interview. Compare the advert with your shortlisting scorecard: every essential criterion should have a clear place in both. If a particular tool can be taught, say so rather than treating brand familiarity as an unexplained rejection reason.

Review wording for assumptions about age, disability, family situation and other personal characteristics. Confirm any genuine requirement and relevant state or territory rules before posting. The Interview and recruit employees provides the wider recruitment sequence; it is not approval of your particular advert.

Keep one approved version across the job boards

Save the version, approval date, closing date and places where you posted it. If you change hours, location or selection criteria, update every listing and tell people already in the process. An old social post may still attract applicants after the arrangements have changed.

Plan the response too: acknowledge applications, say when people should expect an update, and remove or close the listing when recruitment ends. Keep the first-hire checklist alongside this editorial task for the separate employment setup.

Key takeaways

• Give the information that helps someone decide whether the job fits.
• Match the advert to the role and the evidence you will assess.
• Finish the pay and recruitment checks, then test the application route before posting.

Use the hiring and onboarding guide to move from advertising to assessment.

Where to get help

• Fair Work: job ads
• Interview and recruit employees