how to create a job advertisement?

follow the golden rule of communications

Create an advert – whether online or in print – that appeals to the potential candidates you’re trying to reach. 

The advert should be clear:

• stating the job title
• a summary of the job purpose, person specification
• an overview of the company and its benefits.

A strong opening statement or heading will capture attention in print or digitally, ideally highlighting the role’s most attractive features.

The tone of the advert should reflect the organisation’s brand identity – and include any details relevant to the company culture. 



As pay and benefits are the key aspects candidates look for when considering a role, it makes sense to be open about the salary band when advertising unless there are particular reasons for not being so.

where to post your job advert

Here's a guide to the best channels to post your job advert.

Source: Randstad employer branding 3.0 (2016)

watch out for discrimination pitfalls

Job adverts must also be legal: it’s against the law in New Zealand to discriminate against a person on several grounds in recruitment advertising, protected by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Discrimination can be direct or indirect, so it’s important for anyone involved in recruitment to be aware of anti-discrimination laws.



The term ‘advertising’ is very broad and includes internet, radio and television announcements. But it also includes notice boards, even handwritten notes, to ensure that the wording and images are not discriminatory.



It is illegal to specify that people of one gender or age group, people with a disability, people of a particular sexual orientation, or people who are married or from a particular ethnic or religious group need not apply.

therefore you must not:

• use job titles or descriptions that suggest an intention to discriminate, e.g. handyman, salesgirl, mature person, young and dynamic
• use visual images that suggest an intention to discriminate, e.g. only women or only men, unless an occupational requirement applies; consistently showing one ethnicity only in adverts is also not best practice
• indirectly discriminate by including requirements that would exclude a proportion of the population – e.g. “all candidates must be over six feet tall” would rule out more women than men.

Note that the overall visual impact of an advertisement is considered when assessing whether there is an intention to discriminate, so make sure you think carefully about any imagery on the advert.