The 15-Minute Win: Write a Job Ad That Actually Gets Applications

Most job ads are bad. Not maliciously, just lazily. A copy-pasted Seek template with vague duties, a generic “about us” paragraph that could apply to any business in any industry, and a closing line about being “passionate and driven.” You’d be surprised how many applications that combination fails to generate.

The thing is, writing a genuinely good job ad isn’t hard. It just takes specificity. And AI is excellent at helping you get specific quickly, especially once you know how to prompt it properly.

Here’s how to use ChatGPT (or Claude) to write a job ad your ideal candidate will actually respond to, in about 15 minutes.

Why most small business job ads fail

Two problems show up constantly. First, the duties list reads like a legal document rather than a description of someone’s actual day. Second, there’s no real signal about what kind of place this is to work, what the team is like, what success looks like, why someone would choose this job over the one posted below it on the same page.

Candidates, especially good ones with options, are reading between the lines. A vague job ad signals a vague workplace. A rushed job ad signals a business that doesn’t value its own hiring process, which they’ll assume extends to how it treats employees.

AI doesn’t fix those things automatically. But it forces you to answer the right questions first, and then it assembles the answers into something readable.

Before you open ChatGPT

Spend three minutes answering these questions in plain language, doesn’t need to be polished, just honest:

1. What does this person actually do on a typical Tuesday?
2. What does a great first month look like for them?
3. What kind of person has thrived in this role (or similar roles) before?
4. What’s genuinely good about working here? (Not “great culture”, something specific.)
5. What’s hard about this role? What would trip someone up?
6. Hours, pay range, location, any flexibility?

Don’t skip question 5. A job ad that acknowledges challenges is more credible than one that sells everything as upside. Good candidates appreciate the honesty; flaky ones are filtered out.

The prompt

Copy this and fill in the bracketed sections with your answers from above:

Write a job ad for a [JOB TITLE] role at my [INDUSTRY] business in [CITY/SUBURB], Australia. 

Here's context about the role:
- What they actually do day-to-day: [YOUR ANSWER]
- What a great first month looks like: [YOUR ANSWER]
- The kind of person who does well here: [YOUR ANSWER]
- What's genuinely good about working with us: [YOUR ANSWER]
- What's hard about this role: [YOUR ANSWER]
- Hours: [HOURS] | Pay: [RANGE OR "competitive, discussed at interview"] | Location: [ONSITE/HYBRID/REMOTE]

Format: 
- Opening paragraph that describes what the role actually involves (not a generic welcome)
- "What you'll be doing" section, 5 to 7 specific bullet points, starting with verbs
- "What we're looking for" section, 4 to 6 honest requirements, distinguish must-haves from nice-to-haves
- "Why work with us" section, 3 to 4 genuine selling points
- Closing paragraph with how to apply and one specific instruction (e.g., include a cover letter, answer one question)

Tone: direct and warm. Australian spelling. No corporate language. This should sound like a real person wrote it.

A worked example

Let’s say you’re a café owner in Brunswick hiring a part-time barista. You’d fill in the prompt like this:

What they actually do day-to-day: Opening or closing shifts, running the espresso bar during peak, occasionally helping with food prep when we’re short. We’re a small team, everyone chips in.

Great first month: They know our regulars by name, they’re consistent on the machine, and they’ve figured out our rhythm without needing hand-holding.

Kind of person who does well: Reliable, doesn’t take shortcuts on quality, good with people without being performatively cheerful about it.

What’s genuinely good: Good hourly rate above award, flexible rosters we actually stick to, team lunches on Sundays, no head-office pressure, it’s just us.

What’s hard: Weekend mornings get very busy very fast. If you panic under pressure, it’s not the right fit.

That input produces an ad that sounds nothing like a Seek template. It sounds like your café.

After the AI drafts it

Read it aloud before you post it. If any sentence sounds like no person you’ve ever met would say it, rewrite that sentence. Replace jargon. Add your business name and anything specific to your location that would help the right candidate picture the role.

Check the pay range against current Fair Work rates for your industry. If you’re not sure, Fair Work Australia’s pay calculator takes about two minutes.

Then add one specific instruction to the application process. “Send us your resume and answer this question in your cover letter: what do you think makes a genuinely good [barista / admin assistant / whatever]?” This filters out anyone who sends a mass application without reading the ad.

Where to post it

Seek is still the dominant job board in Australia for most roles. LinkedIn works well for professional or office roles. For trades or hospitality, word of mouth and local Facebook groups often outperform both. Post on two platforms, track which produces better-quality applicants, and focus your energy there next time.

For more on using AI in your day-to-day business operations, see How to Write a Job Ad With AI That Actually Gets Good Applicants. And if you want a broader starting point for bringing AI into your business, How to Write a 15-Minute AI Plan for Your Small Business is worth reading first.

More practical guides: How-To Hub →

More quick wins: Browse the full The 15-Minute Win series for Australian small businesses.

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