Tradie Job Ad Template That Gets Replies

Your ad for a carpenter has been up for a week. You've had a pile of replies, but none from anyone you'd put on site. Often the problem isn't the board. It's the ad. Here's how to write a job ad for tradies that good people will actually answer, with a template you can copy.

The short answer: how do I write a job ad for tradies?

Lead with the site and the work. Put the pay in early. List must-haves apart from nice-to-haves. Say the hours, the location and who they'll work with. Use plain words and tell them exactly how to reply. A busy tradie skims an ad fast, so put the best facts first.

Good tradies are hard to find right now. Our post on hiring during the skills shortage covers why.

Each week a role stays empty costs you. Check what hiring really costs you with your own numbers.

Be honest: this topic is crowded

There are already plenty of job ad templates out there. Job boards publish tips, and Fair Work has a general job advertisement template on its templates page.

Most are written for office jobs. This one is written for builders hiring a crew. It's site first, pay up front and plain about the work.

Before you write: the five-minute brief

Don't start with the ad. Start with five minutes and a notepad.

Write down:

• The trade or role. Carpenter, labourer, leading hand, site manager?
• The project and site. What kind of job, and which suburb?
• The pay. A rate or a range.
• Start date and job length. Ongoing, or six months on one job?
• Must-haves and nice-to-haves. Keep the must-haves short.
• Who they report to. The foreman, the site manager or you.

With that done, the ad almost writes itself. Our post on how to hire tradies without an agency shows how the brief fits into the whole process.

The template (copy and fill)

Copy this and swap the brackets for your own details.

Headline: [Trade] needed, [suburb], [pay rate]

First three lines: [Type of job] in [suburb]. [What they'll be doing]. [Pay rate or range], [hours].

About the job: [Size and type of project]. [How long it runs]. [Who's on the crew].

Must-haves:

• [Ticket or licence you need by law or on your sites]
• [Skill you can't teach in a week]
• [Years of experience on similar work, if it truly matters]

Nice-to-haves:

• [Extra skill you'd like but can train]
• [Machine or system experience]

Hours and roster: [Start and finish times]. [Days]. [How overtime works].

Tickets: [List the tickets they'll need on site, like a White Card, the construction induction card].

How to apply: [Call or text name on number], or [reply here with a short note]. [We reply within X days.]

Equal opportunity line: [A short line welcoming all suitable applicants.]

For the wording of that last line, look at the Australian Human Rights Commission's guide to preventing discrimination in recruitment. It suggests a diversity statement that encourages people from different backgrounds to apply.

Before-and-after example

These two ads are made up to show the difference. They're examples only.

Before (weak):

"Join a dynamic team! We're a leading construction company looking for a motivated, passionate carpenter. Competitive salary. Must be a team player. Send your resume to careers@."

After (plain):

"Carpenter needed, [suburb], $[rate] an hour. Townhouse job, framing and fit-off, running about six months. Monday to Friday, 6:30 am to 3 pm. Small crew of four. Must have a White Card and at least two years on residential frames. Call or text [name] on [number]."

The second ad tells a tradie everything they need in a few seconds. The first tells them almost nothing.

Quick checks before you post

Read your ad out loud once. Then tick these off:

• The pay is in the first three lines.
• The suburb and type of job are clear.
• Must-haves are short and truly needed.
• There's no jargon a tradie wouldn't use.
• It says nothing about age, gender or background.
• There's one clear way to reply, with a name.

If any box is empty, fix it before the ad goes live. It takes two minutes and can save you a week of wrong replies.

There's another problem with the first ad. The Human Rights Commission's guide says phrases like "join a dynamic team" can suggest you'll only consider people of a certain age. Plain facts about the work avoid that.

What to put in the pay line

Put a number in if you can. A rate or a range, plainly written.

Indeed's employer page says including salary details typically leads to a significantly higher number of applications. That's Indeed's claim, and it sells job ads, but it fits with common sense.

If you can't publish a number, say why. For example, "pay depends on tickets and experience". Then still give the hours and how overtime works in plain words.

There's also a legal floor. Fair Work says job ads can't advertise pay rates that are less than an employee's minimum entitlements. That means pay that breaches the Fair Work Act or an award or enterprise agreement. Check which award covers the role before you post.

Where to post it

Many builders use Seek, Indeed or both, plus referrals from their own crew. Some trade-only job boards can help for certain roles.

Where you post matters less than what the ad says. Track which channel sent your last good hire, then spend there first.

Our post on Seek vs Indeed for hiring tradies compares how each one charges.

Want screening questions and checklists to go with the ad? Get the free 7 Hiring Mistakes report, which comes with the Recruiter's Toolkit.

After they apply

A great ad is wasted if you're slow to reply. Good tradies get more than one offer.

1. Reply fast. Within a day or two if you can.
2. Ask everyone the same screening questions. It's fairer and makes comparing easier. The Human Rights Commission's guide also says to ask all candidates the same set of common questions.
3. Check references. Call a foreman or site manager, not a mate. Our post on reference check questions for tradies shows what to ask.

When a Fix Call or the course helps

You can write a good ad yourself with this template.

If you're stuck on one live role, the Hiring Fix Call is $295 AUD for 60 minutes. It's for a real role you're hiring for now, and it can cover your brief and your ad.

If you hire often, The Construction Hiring System course ($497) includes templates for ads and the rest of the hiring process. Not sure which fits? Book a discovery call below.

To see where your hiring stands today, take the free Hiring Readiness Scorecard.

General information only. It is not legal advice. Check Fair Work's job ad rules, your award and the Australian Human Rights Commission's guidance for your own situation.

Want help with your next hire?

Book a free 15-minute discovery call and we will talk through your next hire. Prefer to learn it yourself? The Construction Hiring System course ($497 AUD) teaches the full method.

FAQ

How do I write a job ad for tradies?

Lead with the site and the work. Put the pay in early. List must-haves separately from nice-to-haves. Say the hours, the location and who they'll work with. Use plain words and tell them exactly how to reply. A busy tradie skims an ad quickly, so put the best facts first.

What should a construction job ad template include?

Include a headline, the site and the work, the pay, the start date or job length, must-have tickets and licences, nice-to-haves, hours, who they report to and how to apply. Leave out the corporate fluff. Fair Work also publishes a general job advertisement template you can compare against your draft.

Should I put the pay in a tradie job ad?

Yes, when you can. Indeed says including salary details typically leads to more applications. If pay is truly flexible, give a clear range or say what it depends on. By law, Fair Work says a job ad can't advertise pay below an employee's minimum entitlements, such as the award rate.

What is the difference between must-haves and nice-to-haves?

Must-haves are the tickets, licences and skills you can't teach in a week. Nice-to-haves are extras you'd like but can train on the job. Mixing them up can scare off good people or waste your interviews. Write both lists clearly before you post the ad, and keep the must-haves short.

Where should I post a tradie job ad in Australia?

Many builders use Seek, Indeed or both, plus referrals from their own crew. Trade-only job boards can help for some roles. The ad itself matters more than the board. Track which channel sent your last good hire, then spend your time and budget there first.