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Common templates
Posting a job advert can be a big task. But it is also an essential part of growing your business.
There’s a lot to think about and a lot of boxes to tick. It is important to make it attractive to potential candidates. But you also need to maintain your organisation’s tone of voice. Also, your advert needs to be accessible and inclusive. This is an essential part of posting jobs on Patchwork Hub. Making job adverts accessible might seem difficult if you haven't done it before. We are here to help.
At Patchwork Hub, we have guidelines that you must meet when posting a job. As part of these guidelines, there are certain sections that should be included in your job advert. Including these sections will help you to meet our guidelines.
To help you, we have put together this guide of which sections to include. Use these sections to write a successful job advert. Then you will attract the best candidates.
Keep reading to find out how to make your job advert accessible, inclusive, and successful.
Introduction
This first section is your main sales pitch for candidates to read more about your post. Make it catchy, direct, and friendly.
It should include all of the key information about the role.
For example:
- Official job title.
- The department it is in.
- Information about the organisation.
- Key responsibilities.
- Whether it is full time or part time.
- Working hours.
- Flexibility.
You should also provide a short sentence about the kind of person you are looking for.
Keep this section short and direct. You can expand on things in the following sections.
Role Purpose
Provide candidates with a clear and direct description of the role.
You should be concise but plain when explaining what the job entails. This will help candidates to understand exactly what you need, and to decide whether they will be a good fit.
For example:
- The kind of individual you are looking for.
- Describe the department they will work in.
- Description of your organisation.
- The kind of work they will do
- Experience they will gain.
- Key skills.
About You
This is where you provide a person specification. It shows what you’re looking for in the successful applicants. Describe the personal qualities you are looking for.
Be sure to keep this accessible and inclusive. You should be careful about how you word this section.
Focus on what should be achieved in the job rather than how it should be achieved.
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- For example, putting ‘must be able to touch type’ as a criteria. This does not say why this is essential and is immediately exclusionary.
- Instead, replace this with ‘you will need to produce accurate reports using a word processing package’. This means that anyone who uses voice-activated software can now apply and demonstrate their ability to do the role.
Be sure to split essential criteria from desirable criteria.
Doing this means you do not unintentionally exclude disabled candidates who are otherwise skilled and able to perform the role. Make these sections clear and distinct, so candidates can easily tell what is required.
Avoid using complex jargon so that candidates understand clearly what you require. You should write the job advert in a clear and plain way.
You do not have to completely avoid minimum criteria. But you should state that you will consider candidates who do not meet those requirements.
Candidates can demonstrate that they have, by other means, acquired the skills required for the role. You should provide an opportunity for candidates to show this. One way to do this is through a directed question.
For example:
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- Tell us about a time you demonstrated excellent communication skills.
- How have you shown that you can work well in a team?
By using a directed question, you can ask candidates about their skills. This is a good opportunity for disabled candidates to demonstrate their skills and values.
- Including Minimum educational and specific work experience requirements
When including minimum educational qualifications and specific work experience as essential criteria for a position, first consider whether these are absolutely essential or desirable. Able and skilled disabled candidates may have faced barriers which mean they have less formal educational qualifications. Similarly, candidates may have less work experience or employment gaps because of their personal circumstances.
Strong candidates with a disability or long term health condition may have received a less formal education or experienced discrimination in the education system. Similarly they may have less work experience because employers have not been willing to offer them a chance.
If you do use minimum criteria it is important to state that you will consider candidates who can demonstrate that they have, by other means, acquired the skills of which qualifications or work experience are an indicator.
Main Tasks and Responsibilities
You should include a clear and concise list of the main tasks and responsibilities of the role.
What is expected from the employee on a day-to-day basis? Are they responsible for a specific department? Are there regular meetings or specific days and times of working? Are there long-term requirements and expectations or contributions
Accessibility Statement
All job adverts should contain an accessibility statement. This is an essential part of our mission at Patchwork Hub. We require it from all employers. It shows that you will make accommodations for candidates with additional requirements. It means that a wider range of fantastic candidates can apply to your role!
Part of this statement and your organisation’s wider commitment to accessibility is providing contact options.
It is essential that candidates can get in contact with you easily! This helps them to ask any questions and shows you are an approachable employer. You can also include the name of the hiring manager. This tells candidates who they should address their cover letter to.
And you should remember that one way of getting in touch does not work for everyone. So you should provide several alternative contact options.
For example:
- An email address.
- Phone number.
- Postal address.
You might have other alternative contact options, such as:
- Social media pages.
- External website.
This goes a really long way for candidates who might have additional requirements. At Patchwork Hub we encourage you to help potential candidates by providing contact details.
You can find our Accessibility Statement template below.
Contact Options
It is really important that candidates can get in contact with you easily! And you should remember that one way of getting in touch does not work for everyone.
You should provide several alternative contact options. For example: an email address, phone number, and even postal address. You might have other alternative contact options, like your social media pages!
It couldn’t be easier!
Now you know exactly what to include in your job adverts to make them accessible and attractive to candidates. These sections are part of our job posting guidelines. To read more about our guidelines, please visit Our Standards for Job Descriptions.
You can always add more to your adverts, but make sure that you include the sections we’ve mentioned.
Now that you know what each section should contain, here’s a list of headings for you to copy and paste right into your job advert:
Introduction
Role Purpose
About You
Essential Criteria
Desirable Criteria
Main Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Accessibility Statement
“[Name of your Company] is committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are barrier-free and as inclusive as possible for everyone. We particularly welcome applications from disabled applicants. This includes making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term health condition. If you would like us to do anything differently during the application process, such as an alternative format, please contact our hiring manager [Name of hiring manager] at [email address and phone number].”
Contact Options
Following these steps and using Patchwork Hub is the first step to accessibility! Do you want to do more to be an accessible employer?
Please see our ‘accessibility advice’ pages for more information about how to be an accessible employer.
If you have any questions about our guidelines or requirements, do not hesitate to get in touch.
