What job seekers actually want to see on a job ad
Every job ad is trying to do two jobs at once: convince someone to apply, and screen people out. Most of them do the second part and fail the first. Here's what candidates actually look for when they're deciding whether to swipe right on a job — and what to put on the ad if you want better applicants.
The three things candidates check first
Multiple studies across the US, UK and EU labour markets have converged on the same finding: when a job seeker opens a job ad, they make a 30-second decision based on three pieces of information. In order:
- How much does it pay?
- Where is it?
- When do I work?
Everything else — the job description, the company values, the perks, the culture deck, the bit where you say you're a "family" — gets read only if the first three pass. If the first three fail, the rest might as well be blank.
Candidates don't read job ads top-to-bottom. They scan for three numbers — the wage, the distance, and the hours — and decide in thirty seconds. If those aren't visible, they move on.
1. Pay, specifically
"Competitive salary" tells a candidate nothing useful. The word "competitive" has become a signal that the employer either doesn't know what the role pays or is planning to pay below market and hoping you won't ask. Either way, it's a negative signal.
A specific range is a positive signal even if the top of the range is lower than the candidate hoped. "€13.50 – €15/hr" tells them: this employer has thought about it, the number is real, and we know where we stand. That respect matters more than most hiring managers realise.
From June 2026 you'll have to disclose this in Ireland anyway under the EU Pay Transparency Directive. If you're reading this before that date, you have a window to look more trustworthy than competitors who haven't updated their ads yet.
What makes a good pay range
- Specific numbers (€13.50, not "around €13")
- Clear unit (hourly or annual, not ambiguous)
- Realistic ceiling (don't put €25/hr at the top if nobody ever reaches it)
- Currency symbol (obvious but often missing)
2. Where, specifically
"Dublin" is not a location. Dublin is a city of 550,000 people across 120 square kilometres. A barista in Swords has a completely different commute to one in Dún Laoghaire. Put the actual neighbourhood or a landmark.
"Grafton Street, Dublin 2" tells a candidate exactly where to picture themselves going. "Dublin 2" is okay. "Dublin" is uselessly vague. For commuters, the difference between a 15-minute and a 45-minute commute is life-changing, and they'll only find out after they apply if the ad doesn't say.
The bonus: specific locations rank better in Google searches. "Barista jobs Grafton Street" gets searched. "Barista jobs Dublin" has a hundred results and your ad is buried.
3. When, specifically
"Part-time" can mean 12 hours a week or 35. "Flexible hours" can mean "you'll work whatever we assign you on Sunday evening" or "you pick your schedule". Be specific about:
- Total hours per week
- Whether those are fixed or rota'd
- Days you'd typically be on
- Whether it's mornings, evenings, or both
A candidate who already works mornings somewhere else will skip an ad that says "flexible" rather than waste time applying for something that might conflict. You lose the application, they lose time, nobody wins. Specific hours filter the pool down to the people who can actually do the job.
What comes after the first three
Assuming pay, location, and hours pass the scan, candidates look at — in rough order — the job description, the company name (do they trust it?), the perks, and any trust signals like reviews or verification badges. The job description matters but it's selling into an already-interested candidate, not convincing a cold one.
This is why we designed DEALT the way we did. Every job card shows the pay in copper, the location, and the hours before anything else. The description is there but it's below the fold. Candidates make their first pass decision on the same three data points they'd make it on anywhere — we just make them impossible to miss.
The practical takeaway for employers
If you're writing a job ad today, check that these three things are visible without scrolling and without ambiguity:
- Specific pay range
- Specific location (neighbourhood level, not "Dublin")
- Specific hours (total per week, days, approximate times)
Do that and your application rate will go up, your no-show rate will go down, and your time-to-hire will shrink. It doesn't require a redesign, a new ATS, or a recruiter. It just requires you to treat candidates the way you'd want to be treated if you were the one reading.