How to write a job ad in 2026: 9 rules that attract better candidates

Czech labour offices list more than 106,000 open vacancies, yet employers keep saying nobody applies. Very often the problem is not the market. It is the job ad itself: long, vague and silent about pay.

This guide shows how to write a job ad that the right people actually answer. You get 9 rules, a side by side example, a checklist to run before you hit publish and a short briefing on the pay transparency rules coming to the Czech Republic and the rest of the EU.

Why your job ad matters more than ever

The Czech market has loosened slightly over the past year, but people are still scarce. At the end of October 2026, the Labour Office registered 370,226 jobseekers and 106,252 vacancies, with unemployment at 5.0%. That is roughly 3.5 registered jobseekers per vacancy.

So candidates get to choose. And most ads do little to help them:

• In our analysis of 18,526 ads on jobs.cz, only about 6% gave a concrete monthly salary range in CZK.
• In Italy and the UK, more than 60% of postings show pay according to Indeed Hiring Lab data. In Germany it is 14%.
• In an Indeed survey of 6,011 European workers, between 61% (Germany) and 82% (Ireland) said they were more likely to apply when a salary range was listed.

9 rules for writing a job ad

1. Use the title people actually search for

Jobseekers type plain words like "accountant", "warehouse operative" or "Java developer". Nobody searches for "Customer Happiness Hero".

• Use the standard job title plus seniority: "Senior Accountant", "Production Operator (3 shifts)".
• Add location or contract type to the title only when it really matters for the role.

2. Put the pay at the top

Pay is the first thing a candidate looks for. If it is missing, some people close the tab and others apply blindly, only to drop out at the first interview.

• State a real range: "CZK 45,000 to 55,000 gross per month".
• For shift work, add premiums and a realistic average monthly income.
• For sales roles, separate base pay from commission.

3. Limit must haves to 3 to 5

A long list of requirements filters out exactly the people you want. Split it into two groups:

• Must have: things the job cannot be done without (for example a truck licence, double entry bookkeeping, B2 English).
• Nice to have: everything else. Keep it separate and short.

4. Describe a normal week, not a "dynamic environment"

Phrases like "young dynamic team" or "exciting challenges" say nothing. Candidates want to know what they will be doing on Monday morning.

• List 3 to 5 concrete tasks.
• Add numbers: team size, number of clients, order volumes.

5. Give benefits real numbers

Everyone reads "above standard benefits" as "none". Specifics work much better:

• 25 days of holiday instead of "extra holiday",
• meal vouchers worth CZK 150 a day instead of "meal allowance",
• 2 remote days a week instead of "hybrid possible".

6. Be clear about location, shifts and remote work

Name the city and ideally the district or industrial park. For production and warehouse roles, commuting is key: is there a bus that gets people there for the start of a shift?

For shift work, spell out the pattern (mornings, afternoons, nights, continuous operation) and whether shifts rotate.

7. Explain the hiring process

Nobody likes waiting in the dark. Two sentences are enough:

• how many rounds there are and who is involved,
• when you will reply, including to people you reject.

8. Make applying take under two minutes

Every extra form field cuts the number of completed applications. A CV, name, email and phone number are enough to start.

For blue collar and shift roles, let people apply with just a phone number, no CV needed.

9. Use neutral, plain language

Write for everyone and avoid gendered titles. Never ask for age, marital status or a photo.

Gender neutral job ads are also one of the principles of the EU Pay Transparency Directive.

Weak vs. strong job ad: a real world example

Same role, two approaches. Here is the difference for a warehouse job in Brno:

The figures above are illustrative. For real benchmarks by city and field, see our data on advertised Czech salaries.

What the pay transparency law changes

The EU deadline for transposing the Pay Transparency Directive passed on 7 June 2026, and the Czech Republic missed it. The government approved its draft amendment to the Labour Code on 31 August 2026 and proposes that it take effect on 1 January 2027.

According to the government draft as described by legal experts (ROWAN LEGAL, Podnikatel.cz), three things change for hiring:

• Minimum pay for applicants: employers will have to tell applicants, in a verifiable way, the minimum pay and other benefits on offer. This can happen in the ad, during the selection process or when negotiating the contract.
• No questions about salary history: "What are you earning now?" disappears from interviews, forms and ATS questionnaires. Candidates may still share it voluntarily.
• Covers short term contracts too: the rules also apply to the Czech DPP and DPČ agreements outside standard employment.

The draft does not strictly require pay in the job ad itself. But the ad is the simplest and best documented way to comply.

If you use AI in recruiting, also read our overview of EU AI Act deadlines for recruiting.

Checklist before you publish a job ad

Run through these 10 points before clicking "Publish":

1. 1
   The job title matches what people search for.
2. 2
   Pay is shown as a gross range (or at least a minimum).
3. 3
   The contract type is clear: full time, part time, agreement, freelance.
4. 4
   Work location and remote days are specific.
5. 5
   The role description has 3 to 5 concrete tasks.
6. 6
   There are only 3 to 5 must haves; the rest is "nice to have".
7. 7
   Benefits have numbers.
8. 8
   You describe the hiring process and when people will hear back.
9. 9
   Applying takes under two minutes.
10. 10
    There is no request for age, a photo or current salary.

When 300 CVs land in your inbox

A good ad brings more applicants. Then comes the second problem: reviewing them quickly and fairly.

The same principle helps. Score everyone against your 3 to 5 must haves, not against a gut feeling from the first line. We walk through it step by step in AI candidate screening.

If you would rather not sort by hand, Hiringly is a free AI ATS. It ranks applicants by how well they fit the role and explains why for each one. Data stays in the EU, and a human always makes the call on who gets an interview. Roles posted in Hiringly also appear on the public job board.

FAQ