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Job Posting Template — Free Download

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How to Write a Job Posting:

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How to Write a Job Posting:

A step-by-step guide to creating a job advertisement that gets noticed on job boards or the always busy free job posting sites.

1. 

Introduce your company and your open position.

1.1 

Use an eye-catching job title.

Use an eye-catching job title.

This is the most important part when you’re posting to job boards. Be precise and concise in your title, including key phrases to accurately describe the role. You should also avoid using internal jargon or terms that job seekers aren't likely to look for.

If you are writing a job posting for a bilingual position, the title must be written first in English, followed by a forward slash, then in French. For example: Radiology nurse / Infirmière en radiologie.

1.2 

Add a summary.

Add a summary.

This is a single paragraph that provides an overview of your company and what you are looking for from candidates for this position. A short company culture introduction tells candidates why they should want to work for your company. You might want to include your company values and vision, and any awards you have recently won.

1.3 

Add your location and details about the work enviroment.

Add your location and details about the work enviroment.

When you have introduced your company and the work environment, you should include your exact location, as this will help your job posting to appear higher up in search results. Most Canadian job seekers also want to know about the job schedule, so include expected work hours, schedule information, and key work environment details.

2. 

Write your job description.

2.1 

Outline the key responsibilities.

Outline the key responsibilities.

Your job description should include a detailed, but concise list of the key responsibilities of the job. You should include responsibilities that may be unique to your company so that the job seekers understand what is expected and can see if they are qualified for the position.

Outlining the most important day-to-day activities of the role helps job seekers to understand the work environment and what activities they are expected to perform, and will help them to decide if your company is the right fit for them.

2.2 

Detail the skill requirements for the position.

Detail the skill requirements for the position.

A job description should include a list of the most important qualifications, and hard skills required for the role, but you may also include the soft skills and personality traits that you think would make the job seeker successful in the role. However, keep your list short and to the point. Listing too many requirements can dissuade potential job seekers.

If you are writing a job posting for a bilingual position, you will need to indicate the required proficiency in the second language for speaking, reading, and writing.

2.3 

Add a salary range and benefits.

Add a salary range and benefits.

Most Canadian job seekers look for a job that meets their salary expectations, so adding a salary range to your job posting will help your vacancy to stand out from the competition. Adding attractive benefits, such as paid time off, flexible hours, and office snacks, also encourages job seekers to apply for your vacancy.

2.4 

Spell out the application process.

Spell out the application process.

Detail everything from when they first apply to when they get hired. This way, job seekers won't be left in the dark about what happens next. Detail what items you want to receive, such as a resume and cover letter, how you want job seekers to apply (via phone, email, or in-person), and an application deadline and time.

3. 

Edit your job posting and check your contact information.

3.1 

Have other people read it.

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.

3.2 

Improve your email responses.

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.

Job Posting or Job Description
Job posting examples.

Download our Job Posting Examples:

Download all 3 of our job posting examples, with a generic "help wanted" ad template.

1. Truck Driver posting example.

2. Business analyst employment posting example.

3. Registered nurse job advertisement example.

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Top 3 Job Post 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 posting 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.

18 Free Job Posting Sites — High Traffic and 100% Free

A comprehensive list of the top free job boards in Canada.

FAQs:

How do I write a job posting template?

  1. Create a new document using MS Word or Google Docs.
  2. Use brackets to indicate where information is to be added.
  3. Include sections for the title, position, and company.
  4. Create brackets for basic information such as salary and benefits in the "position" section.
  5. Include a section for essential duties and responsibilities.
  6. Save as a template and share.

How can I make my job stand out?

Focus on the details of the job that would be most attractive to potential candidates. If you've got great pay, solid benefits, interesting projects or clients, an amazing location, etc., be sure to put that in your hiring ads. Awesome job ads use real details about the job to get candidates excited.

Also, don't get caught up in the idea of writing creative job postings. Real details about what makes your job exciting trump cleverness any day.

What is the difference between a job profile and a job description?

A job profile is the outline or overview of a position, while a job description is a written statement of the job purpose, duties, and responsibilities.

How do I write a compelling job description?

Focus on the positive aspects of the job and the benefits of working for your company. If you need inspiration, check out our job description template.

How can I write the best job advert?

When most people think of the best employment ads, they think of clever hiring ads that are often humorous. These might be good at getting the attention of more people, but serious candidates will respond best to real details that tell them how their day-to-day life will be on the job. Focus on these rather than trying to be clever.

How do you create job postings?

  1. Go to a job posting site such as Indeed or Job Bank.
  2. Find their job postings page (it will typically say "Post a Job").
  3. Enter the details about your company and job.
  4. Choose a budget.
  5. Confirm the job posting.
  6. Monitor the results and try different sites as needed.

How do I write a job vacancy advertisement for a job I don't know well?

Start by talking to colleagues who are familiar with the job or, if that's not possible, searching for forums where people that hold the job go to talk about it and read what they're saying.

To write effective job ads you'll want to find out what will attract top candidates to your position. For example, if a lot of them complain about insufficient PTO and yours is unusually generous, make sure to include that when writing your job ads.

What advice do you have on how to write a recruitment ad that performs well on Indeed?

See Betterteam's review of Indeed with advice on how to write a good job advertisement. At its core, it doesn't vary much from how to write a job advert for any other platform. Focus on the real details of the job, make sure your job description wording is clear and free of typos, and ensure that the job description format is appealing.

I'm not sure how much I want to pay. Any advice?

You can search online via Job Bank or Payscale to learn what the average wage is for different jobs in different regions. You can also add "DOE" to your job postings. This stands for "depends on experience" and allows you to decide what individual candidates are worth.

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