Here’s what I think should be in one:

• Short description: A sentence or three about the job. Example: “We are a company called Mocra and we are looking for a talented Coffee Fetcher. We are located 15 minutes south of Brisbane, Australia.”

• Location: Ideally in the same country as the people you’re advertising to, but if the job was worthwhile they may be inclined to move elsewhere depending on the job.
• The Company: Who are they going to work for? This doesn’t have to be a trade secret! Some people are encouraged to put in their application if they know the company. On the other hand, you may not wish to name the company because it’s a recently new startup or it may not even have a name yet.
• Work Conditions:They want to know what are the work conditions are like. Do they get provided with their own work machine? Does the boss shout them lunch occasionally? Do they have to work in an office or can they work from home? If they did work in an office is it open-plan or cubicles? Is there a kitchen / food preparation area they can use? Is the office near local shops (bakery, deli, supermarket)?
• What is expected of them at the job: What time does work start and finish? Do they have to work overtime? Do they get paid to work overtime? Are they required to work on weekends? Do they get paid to work on weekends?
• Skills required: How many years experience do they need in this field? Do they need to have held a past job in this field, or are they able to be accepted as someone who has not? (Ed: something I found very hard to do!) Are there any qualifications desired? Are any other skills desirable?
• What they will be working on: Entice them in with a little hint of what they could be working on at the job. Make them feel that it’s something exciting to be doing rather than coffee fetching.
• What kind of job? Is it full time? Is it part time? Is it casual? Is it contract-based? How long does the contract go for? Is there even a remote chance of contract renewal thereafter? Is it dangerous? Do they get on the job training?
• Pay rate: How much will they be paid per hour & year? Annual leave? Sick leave? Other leave?
• Contact details: Add in some details about how they can reach you and/or the person you’re advertising this job for. Helpful things include phone numbers and email addresses. If you’re feeling old-school put in a postal address too.
• Long description: Don’t write a Lord of the Rings-styled epic, just something a paragraph or two long detailing the job. Can be made up of the previous points to emphasise why they should come work for you.

• Buzzwords: Buzzwords are sensitive things. These indicate to the potential applicants that your business is up-to-date with all the latest slang, but perforating your job advertisements with them can turn people away. Stuff like “competitive remuneration package” means little to the applicant. If this is based on the candidates experience, then clearly state this.

  Other things

  Using “Rockstar”, “Ninja”, “Jedi” or “Dragonslayer” in your job titles is not professional. Drop it. I doubt you want to hire the Rolling Stones, Sasuke Sarutobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi or King Arthur.