Ben Strum
Career Commentator
Hiring? You’ve got seconds to grab a Gen Z’s attention. Learn how to craft a killer job post to make you and your company stand out.
With the rising cost of living, a slowing economy, and one of the highest unemployment rates in two years, you’d expect prospective hires to flock to your company for career opportunities, right? Think again. Hiring graduates and interns is competitive, with an average of 2.7 suitable applicants per vacancy Australia-wide.
As an employer, you must capture the shorter attention spans of tech-savvy, discerning Gen Z candidates who prioritise financial security, work-life balance, professional development and ethical consumerism. Your job post should be memorable, meaningful and motivating for those launching their careers.
Don’t worry. Whether you’re new to writing job listings or want to ensure your post is captivating, this article is here to guide you. We’ll walk you through crafting a killer job post, covering the dos and don'ts so your company stands out to potential interns and graduate hires.
What a killer Job Post needs
What a killer Job Post needs
1. Who We Are
1. Who We Are
The clock is ticking. Crafting a compelling description of your company’s purpose, culture, and principles is essential. Gen Z values authenticity, so avoid sounding overly corporate or sales-focused. However, a captivating pitch is critical to maintaining their interest. Let’s look at how to achieve the ideal balance.
Don’t Do This:
“Banksia is an emerging Australian bank investing in social equity and renewable energy.”
That sounds corporate, right? The problem is that ‘Banksia’ has a unique value proposition, but the generic copy makes it seem lacklustre. Avoid industry jargon, and adopt a conversational tone to tell potential hires what’s incredible about your company. Casual, inclusive and imperative language, open-ended questions, and a dash of flair will all go a long way to make your post thrilling.
Do This:
“Do you care about the planet and want to generate capital conscientiously? Join the team at Banksia, a customer-owned bank providing financial services to Aussies passionate about the Clean Money Movement. We invest in environmental and equity initiatives to build a wealthier, healthier future.”
2. What We’re Looking For
2. What We’re Looking For
Now that you’ve hooked a Gen Z reader, the next step is keeping them engaged beyond those first eight seconds. It’s vital to craft a role description that resonates with young adults. Addressing your audience directly in the second person and presenting desirable soft skills as personality traits can inspire confidence in potential applicants.
Don’t Do This:
“Banksia’s creative team is seeking a Native Content Producer to create social media posts. Our ideal candidate can use visual communication techniques to grow our audience while promoting Banksia’s purpose and products."
That role description doesn’t sound appealing, does it? The matter-of-fact tone in this example feels cold, potentially deterring Gen Z hires who seek a meaningful start to their career. Let’s use the tips above to craft a warmer, more engaging role description.
Do This:
“Are you ready to shape the future with Banksia’s creative team ‘Bloom’? We’re on the hunt for our first-ever Native Content Producer. If you’re a natural communicator who loves using social media for good, this is your chance to shine.
We need someone who can turn complex ideas into captivating posts, promoting equality and environmental sustainability with every story. If you’re a visual storyteller passionate about making a positive impact, we want to hear from you.”
3. What You’ll Do
Write three to five more sentences describing the team and what this role will do within it.
Don’t Do This:
"As our Native Content Producer, you will work within a small team of 12 employees and report directly to the 'Bloom' Creative Director. Your primary responsibility will be to research topics of interest to our target audience and generate creative content ideas for production. You will be tasked with executing small to medium-sized campaigns, utilising your skills in copywriting, graphic design, photography, and video production for our Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok platforms. Your social media captions and scripts will be submitted to 'Bloom's' copywriter for approval. Although you can assist the team on large-scale campaigns, this will not be your primary responsibility."
While the role description is direct and provides context, it lacks the warmth we cultivated in our previous paragraph. Keep in mind Gen Z’s priorities, highlighting how the successful candidate will be nurtured in this role. Personalise your copy by maintaining a positive and conversational tone, naming relevant team members, and enticing young applicants with opportunities for career development. Plus, make sure you use bullet points to keep your message clear and concise.
Do This:
"As Bloom’s Native Content guru, you’ll work within a dynamic team of 12 creatives and report directly to our award-winning Creative Director Montgomery Clark. You’ll have the opportunity to:
Propose innovative content ideas for production
Execute small to medium-sized campaigns solo
Build an impressive portfolio
Combine copywriting, graphic design, photography, and video production skills across social channels
Be mentored by Bloom’s Senior Copywriter Viola Dunlop
Collaborate on large-scale campaigns.”
Finally, include a list of required hard and soft skills so candidates quickly understand the qualifications that you are looking for.
Do This:
Required Skills:
Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop proficiency
Evidence of solid copywriting and scripting know-how
Intermediate Adobe After Effects capability
Shooting skills to capture video using a smartphone
Creative thinking and idea-generating superpowers
Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities
Intuitive understanding of best practices across social
4. What You’ll Earn
Having grown up in a world facing climate change, COVID-19, and the rising cost of living, Gen Z values financial stability above all else in the workplace. To attract these candidates, state your pay range and offer a competitive salary by researching the median wage for your role. Capture the interest of young applicants by highlighting packages and opportunities that demonstrate your company’s commitment to employee fiscal security. This approach will build trust with financially savvy, ethically-minded Gen Zs.
Don’t Do This:
“Banksia offers a competitive salary package and bonuses for our best-performing employees.”
If you’re a Gen Z worried about affording rent or even a mortgage in one of the world’s most expensive cities, a vague 'Salary and Benefits' description like this one will offer little comfort. Instead, be transparent about your company’s commitment to employee financial security.
Do This:
“Banksia offers:
Starting salary of $75,000
13.5% superannuation
4% salary increases per annum to keep abreast of inflation
Annual performance-based bonuses
Eligible for stock options after two years of continuous employment”
Additional Benefits
In addition to the salary, be sure to discuss any additional benefits your prospective hire can expect from working at your company.
Don’t Do This:
“We offer various additional benefits and learning opportunities for our employees.”
Instead, provide evidence of benefits to remind Gen Z readers of your commitment to their career progression and financial security.
Do This:
"In addition to our generous salary package, we also offer:
Comprehensive financial literacy and mentorship programs
An Apple iPhone and MacBook Pro for every employee
Supplied camera and studio lighting equipment
In-house production studio for work andpersonal projects
5. Why You Should Work With Us
This is the clincher! You’ve talked about the job role, salary and additional benefits, now it’s time to seal the deal by telling potential hires about all the perks of working with you. Students want to know about their career progression, learning and development opportunities, as well as the overall work environment and culture of your company.
Here are some ideas about how you can talk about each one:
How You’ll Progress
Your job post needs to be clear that you care about the development and security of young employees. So, when talking about career progression section, make sure you describe the potential pathways within your company. Once more, be specific with your examples, and you’ll maintain the trust you’re building with Gen Zs.
Don’t Do This:
“There are opportunities for career progression at Banksia. We promote from within whenever possible.”
The example isn’t specific, so it seems like lip service. Let’s try again.
Do This:
"At Banksia, nurturing talent is a top priority and we share your commitment to growth. Our 3 year graduate program is designed to give you the best on-the-job training with assigned mentors across the business. Once you’ve completed the graduate program, there are opportunities to extend into other areas of the business.”
What You’ll Learn
Now, it’s time to describe your training and development environment. A Gen Z audience values transparency from employers, so all you have to do is be explicit about opportunities. If this internship or graduate position involves rotations, let your readers know what teams they’ll work with.
Don’t Do This:
“As the Native Content Producer, the majority of your professional development will be through on-the-job learning. We offer various development opportunities to help you grow within the company.”
This example lacks detail, which may lead young readers to assume your company doesn’t truly nurture talent. Avoid generic statements like “various opportunities” and be overt about your offering.
Do This:
We want you to Bloom! Banksia provides:
Bi-annual management reviews to enhance your progress and benchmark to industry standards
Accredited training programs in a content speciality
How We Balance Work & Life
Work-life balance matters to Gen Z. Including one to two sentences about your company's policies and practices in this area will instil confidence in candidates and motivate them to apply for your role.
Don’t Do This:
“We encourage all our staff to strike a healthy work-life balance, and strongly discourage work on weekends.”
This example is hollow. To demonstrate that you deliver on your promises, include specific details about your company's approach to work-life balance.
Do This:
“Because we believe in building a wealthier, healthier future, staff can:
Flexible working schedule including work remotely up to 3 days per week
Access to an office or co-working hub if you live nearby
Take time in lieu for any overtime worked over five hours each week”
Why We Vibe
Gen Z, the most diverse generation yet, values workplace cultures that are aligned with their values. To encourage them to hit ‘apply,’ spotlight your company’s atmosphere and principles in one to two sentences.
Don’t Do This:
“Banksia believes that equality and diversity matter. We facilitate regular social events and expect all staff to treat one another with respect.”
Avoid a tokenistic tone by emphasising specific examples of positive team dynamics.
Do This:
“Get involved and get to know fellow graduates with allocated budget for graduate run social events throughout the program. We also host weekly ‘lunch and learn’ events with presentations from all sections of our bank. Diversity and inclusion is also important to us and we host regular ‘Frank Bank’ roundtables, where speakers from different backgrounds lead discussions on driving social change in the financial sector. You’ll also have the opportunity to present your ideas.”
In this ‘Why You Should Work Us’ section, you can also look at combining all of the points above into succinct bullet points, for example:
3 year graduate program with on-the-job training and assigned mentors
Bi-annual management reviews to enhance your progress and benchmark to industry standards
Accredited training programs in a content speciality
Flexible working schedule including work remotely up to 3 days per week
Access to an office or co-working hub if you live nearby
Time in lieu for any overtime worked over five hours each week
Allocated budget for graduate run social events throughout the program
Weekly ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions with roundtables and presentations from all sections of the bank
Regular ‘Frank Bank’ roundtables focused on driving social change in the financial sector
6. How You Can Apply
Be transparent about what students and graduates can expect from the recruitment experience to inspire their application for your role.
Don’t Do This:
“Submit your application online. We will review and contact suitable candidates.”
To make this section more inviting, provide details of your hiring process, including information on time-frames, telephone interviews, in-person interviews, and skills tests.
Do This:
“To apply, just submit your resume and cover letter via our online portal. Applicants who are not selected will receive an automatic email notification in May.
Application Timeline:
April 30 – Applications Close
May 1–10 – Successful candidates contacted for phone interviews
June 10–17 – Candidates take skills test at assessment centre
June 24–31 – Interviews at headquarters for final candidates
July 15 – Final offers”
Banksia aims to complete our recruitment process within three weeks. and their CVs will be kept on file for future opportunities.”
Crafting a killer job post for interns and graduates hinges on clarity, transparency, a friendly tone of voice, and understanding your target audience’s priorities. By following these steps, you can capture the interest of discerning young talent eager to kick-start their careers.
So… Thinking of Writing a Job Post Now? Do it!
Writing a killer job post on Prosple is your first step towards attracting the best talent. Start now and see the difference a well-crafted job post can make. Happy hiring!
Example job post 👇🏼
Who We Are
Do you care about the planet and want to generate capital conscientiously? Join the team at Banksia, a customer-owned bank providing financial services to Aussies passionate about the Clean Money Movement. We invest in environmental and equity initiatives to build a wealthier, healthier future.
What We’re Looking For
We’re on the hunt for our first-ever Native Content Producer. If you’re a natural communicator who loves using social media for good, this is your chance to shine. We need someone who can turn complex ideas into captivating posts, promoting equality and environmental sustainability with every story. If you’re a visual storyteller passionate about making a positive impact, we want to hear from you.
What You’ll Do
As Bloom’s Native Content guru, you’ll work within a dynamic team of 12 creatives and report directly to our award-winning Creative Director Montgomery Clark. You’ll have the opportunity to:
Propose innovative content ideas for production
Execute small to medium-sized campaigns solo
Build an impressive portfolio
Combine copywriting, graphic design, photography, and video production skills across social channels
Be mentored by Bloom’s Senior Copywriter Viola Dunlop
Collaborate on large-scale campaigns.
Required Skills:
Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop proficiency
Evidence of solid copywriting and scripting know-how
Intermediate Adobe After Effects capability
Shooting skills to capture video using a smartphone
Creative thinking and idea-generating superpowers
Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities
Intuitive understanding of best practices across social
What You’ll Earn
Starting salary of $75,000 + 13.5% superannuation
4% salary increases per annum to keep abreast of inflation
Annual performance-based bonuses
Eligible for stock options after two years of continuous employment
In addition to our generous salary package, we also offer:
Comprehensive financial literacy and mentorship programs
An Apple iPhone and MacBook Pro for every employee
Supplied camera and studio lighting equipment
In-house production studio for work andpersonal projects
Why You Should Work With Us
3 year graduate program with on-the-job training and assigned mentors
Bi-annual management reviews to enhance your progress and benchmark to industry standards
Accredited training programs in a content speciality
Flexible working schedule including work remotely up to 3 days per week
Access to an office or co-working hub if you live nearby
Time in lieu for any overtime worked over five hours each week
Allocated budget for graduate run social events throughout the program
Weekly ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions with roundtables and presentations from all sections of the bank
Regular ‘Frank Bank’ roundtables focused on driving social change in the financial sector
How You Can Apply
To apply, just submit your resume and cover letter via our online portal. Applicants who are not selected will receive an automatic email notification in May.
Application Timeline:
April 30 – Applications Close
May 1–10 – Successful candidates contacted for phone interviews
June 10–17 – Candidates take skills test at assessment centre
June 24–31 – Interviews at headquarters for final candidates
July 15 – Final offers
