Why it matters
A vague post brings in a pile of applicants who don't fit, and you spend hours screening them. Indeed's hiring guide suggests a specific job title people recognize and a salary range, since good candidates search for jobs that meet their pay needs. If you write down what the job really involves first, AI can turn it into a clear post in a few minutes. The full guide has the prompt and a fairness check for risky wording.
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Steps
- Answer these in a note, in your own words, before you open any AI tool:
- What does this person do on a normal Tuesday, hour by hour?
- What must they have on day one (license, tools, driving record, lifting, bilingual)?
- What would be nice but you'll train for?
- Pay range, schedule, full or part time, benefits, start date.
- Who they report to, and one honest thing that's hard about the job.
- Open ChatGPT or Claude and paste the prompt below with your notes.
- Read the draft and cut anything that isn't true for your shop. Indeed's guide to writing job posts with ChatGPT says to check every AI draft for accuracy before you post it.
- Run the fairness check (second prompt below). It flags phrases that can discourage protected groups from applying.
- Paste the post into Indeed, your website, Facebook or wherever you hire. Keep the same pay range everywhere you post it.
Copy-paste prompt
Prompt
Write a job post for [JOB TITLE] at [BUSINESS NAME], a [TYPE OF BUSINESS] in [CITY]. Use only the facts in my notes. Don't add perks, benefits or requirements I didn't list. Structure: - A 2-sentence intro about the business and why this role matters to customers. - "What you'll do": 5 to 7 bullets based on the typical day in my notes. - "You need": only the true must-haves. - "Nice to have": the trainable extras. - "Pay and schedule": exact range and hours from my notes. - "How to apply": [HOW]. Write it at an 8th-grade reading level. Use the real job title people search for, not a cute one. MY NOTES: [paste]
Fairness check
Review this job post for wording that could discourage people from applying based on age, sex, race, religion, national origin, disability, pregnancy or other protected traits. Examples: "young," "recent grads," "digital native," "he/she," physical requirements that aren't really needed. List each phrase, why it's a problem, and a neutral replacement. Don't rewrite the rest. [paste post]
Common mistakes
- Letting AI write from the job title alone. You get a generic post that could be for any company.
- Asking for "energetic recent grads." The EEOC says job ads can't show a preference based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and transgender status), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Its own example is an ad seeking "recent college graduates," which may discourage people over 40 from applying.
- Hiding the pay. Indeed suggests including a salary range and notes that several states require one in job postings for covered roles. The rules vary by state and employer size, so check the requirements where you hire before you post.
- Listing "nice to haves" as requirements, which scares off people you'd happily train.
- Treating the fairness check as legal advice. It's a first pass. Ask an HR advisor or employment lawyer if you're unsure.
