A solid job ad for an entry-level role in New Zealand needs six things: a clear title, the location and hours, what the person will actually do each day, what you need from them, what you are paying, and how to apply.
What sections does a NZ job ad actually need?
Before you open any job board, write these six sections on a piece of paper or in a notes app. Every board asks for the same information, and having it drafted first means you spend ten minutes posting instead of forty-five.
Step 1: Write a title that matches what people search for
Job titles are search terms first and descriptions second. If your internal title is "Front of House Champion" but everyone in Palmerston North types "barista" or "cafe assistant" when they are looking for work, your ad will not appear. Use the everyday name for the role. Add the suburb if you can, because people filter by location and a title like "Barista, Petone" tells them immediately whether the commute works.
Avoid titles that stack every duty into one line. "Kitchen Hand / Barista / Cleaner / Deliveries" reads as desperation and buries the main role. Pick the primary job and name it.
Step 2: State the hours and roster upfront
This is the section most small business ads skip, and it is the one that wastes everyone's time when it is missing. A person with school pickup at 3pm is not going to apply for a role that might be 2pm to 9pm. A person who cannot work Sundays will apply anyway and tell you at the interview.
Write it plainly: "Wednesday to Sunday, 7am to 3pm" or "Three shifts per week, rostered across Monday to Saturday, mostly mornings." If the roster rotates, say so. If weekend work is required, say so. You will get fewer applications from people who cannot do the hours, which is exactly what you want.
Step 3: Describe what the person will do on a normal day
Skip the mission statement. Write what the person will actually do in the first week. For a kitchen hand: wash dishes, prep vegetables, keep the pass clean, help with end-of-day clean-down. For a retail assistant: serve customers, process sales on the till, restock shelves, tidy the floor. Specific beats vague every time, and it helps a first-jobber visualise whether they can actually do the work.
Four to six dot points is enough. If you find yourself writing twelve, you are probably describing two roles.
Step 4: List what you genuinely need, not what would be nice
This is where ads get inflated and good applicants rule themselves out. Be honest about what is a hard requirement versus a preference. A restricted driver licence might be essential for a delivery run. Basic maths skills for a cash till is reasonable. Three years in hospitality for a dishwashing role is not.
FindMeAJob is built for roles that suit people with entry-level experience, up to about two years of work experience, including people who hold a qualification or a licence but are early in their working life. A graduate, a school leaver who has done a barista course, a person returning to the workforce after a few years away: these are the people the board reaches. Most listed roles do ask for something, a certificate, a ticket, a course completed, and that is fine. A requirement does not mean the role is out of scope.
Write your requirements as what they are. "You need a current first aid certificate" or "A barista qualification or equivalent practice" tells an applicant exactly where they stand.
Step 5: State the pay
If you are not sure whether to include pay in the ad, include it. An ad that says "pay negotiable" or says nothing at all filters out the people who are organised enough to know what they need to earn before they apply. Those are often exactly the people you want.
The adult minimum wage is $23.95 per hour. The starting-out and training minimum wage is $19.16 per hour. If you are offering above minimum, say so and say by how much, because your competition may not be.
Source: Minimum wage rates, Employment New Zealand
If you are unsure what the market is paying for your role and region, Careers NZ has salary information across a range of occupations.
Source: Careers NZ
Step 6: Tell them exactly how to apply
This sounds obvious and still gets skipped. "Apply below" or "send your CV to info@" both work, but be specific about what you want. If you want a short cover note explaining why they are interested, say so. If a CV with a phone number is enough, say that. If you will call shortlisted applicants within a week, say that too, because people applying for their first or second job are often unsure what happens next.
What does a finished entry-level job ad look like?
Here is a worked example for a rest home kitchen assistant role:
Role: Kitchen Assistant, Harbour View Care Home, Whanganui
Hours: 20 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 7am to 11am
Pay: $24.50 per hour
What you will do:
Serve breakfast and morning tea to residents, assist with meal preparation, wash dishes and clean kitchen equipment, help restock the kitchen after deliveries.
What we need:
A food handling certificate or willingness to complete one in your first two weeks. Reliable transport to get here by 7am. A calm manner around elderly residents. No previous aged care experience required.
To apply:
Send your CV and a two to three sentence note about why this role suits you to kitchenmanager@harbourview.co.nz. We will be in touch within five working days.
That is 130 words. It covers everything a person needs to decide whether to apply, and nothing that wastes their time or yours.
Can you advertise a role like this for free?
Yes. You can post a role at no cost on FindMeAJob, with one active listing live for 15 days on the free plan. You will need a free employer account first, which takes a few minutes at the employer portal. The listing is reviewed before it goes live, usually within 24 hours, and every application comes with an AI hiring brief scored against your job description. If you need the role live longer or want priority placement, the Pro option is a one-off $29 per listing and stays live for 30 days.
Key takeaways
- Write the six sections before you open any job board: title, roster, daily duties, requirements, pay, and how to apply.
- Use the role title people search for, not an internal label, and include the suburb.
- State the roster in specific terms. Vague hours produce time-wasting applications from people who cannot do the shifts.
- Name the pay. An ad without a number filters out organised applicants and attracts the ones who will negotiate at offer stage.
- Keep the requirements honest. A required certificate or licence is not the same as three years experience, and it does not rule a role out for this board.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a job ad be for an entry-level role in NZ?
Around 150 to 250 words covers everything a person needs. Longer ads for entry-level roles tend to inflate requirements and put off first-jobbers. If your draft is running past 300 words, cut the nice-to-haves and read what remains.
Should I include the pay rate in my NZ job ad?
Yes. Ads with a stated pay rate tend to attract applicants who know they can make the role work financially. Leaving pay out means you will spend time on people the number would have filtered for you. The adult minimum wage in NZ is $23.95 per hour.
Does my job ad have to follow a specific legal format in NZ?
No specific template is required by law, but the role must ultimately be covered by a written employment agreement before the person starts work. Employment New Zealand has guidance on what that agreement must include.
Source: Employment agreements, Employment New Zealand
Can I post a job ad for free in New Zealand?
Yes. FindMeAJob offers one active free listing at a time, live for 15 days, with no card required. You need a free employer account at the employer portal. The Pro plan at $29 per listing extends that to 30 days with a featured badge.
What if my role requires a certificate or licence, is it still entry level?
Yes, a required certificate, licence, or qualification does not move a role out of the entry-level category. What matters is the total work experience asked for. A role asking for a food handling certificate and no prior experience is still entry level, up to about two years of work experience, and suitable for this board.
If the job description you have drafted covers those six sections, it is ready to go. Create your free employer account at findmeajob.co.nz/free-job-posting and post it today.