How to Write a Hospitality Job Ad That Attracts Good People

Hospitality has a recruitment problem and most operators respond to it by writing the same generic job ad everyone else writes. A job ad is a piece of marketing aimed at exactly one audience, the kind of person you want working for you.

Be Specific About the Role, Not Generic About the Industry

Describe what the actual day looks like. What service period are they working. What does the kitchen pass look like during peak. What is the team culture actually like, in real terms not marketing language.

Lead With What Makes Working for You Different

Do you close early enough that staff have a life outside work? Do you invest in training? These specifics matter far more than generic claims about culture. Our hospitality staff training service helps venues build genuine development pathways that become a real point of difference in recruitment.

Be Transparent About Pay

Including a clear pay range, even as a band, builds trust and filters out time wasted on candidates whose expectations do not match what you can offer.

Make the Application Process Easy

Match the application process to the seniority of the role. A simple form with a few key questions is sufficient for most hospitality positions.

Respond Quickly

Good hospitality candidates are not waiting around. A fast response, even just to schedule a conversation, significantly improves your hiring success rate.

Ask the Right Questions in the Interview

How do they handle a difficult customer. How do they react when a shift gets unexpectedly busy. These answers tell you far more about fit than a resume does.

If you want help building a recruitment process that consistently attracts and retains good people, talk to Pestle and Mortar. We work with hospitality venues across Australia on hiring and team development.