Guides
Writing a job ad that brings applications - in 30 minutes
A concrete template instead of job-title acrobatics. What German applicants actually click, what they bounce from, and where the salary belongs.
Key takeaways
Concrete title with role core + key skill
Format: '[Role] [Key skill] [Location] (m/f/d)'. Example: 'Backend developer Python in Berlin (m/f/d)'. The key skill is the difference between 50 unspecific and 30 highly-fit applications.
Four-sentence pitch on top
Who you are, what the person will do, with whom, why now. No marketing speak, no buzzwords. Example: 'We run the booking system 300 German hotels use. You'll rebuild the reservation API with Finn because our system won't carry the next 18 months. You'll work with two other backends, one frontend, a DBA. We're hiring now because we want to be live by Q4.'
Tasks block: 5 concrete tasks
Tasks are what the person will do, not their skills. Format: '[Verb] [Object] [Context]'. Example: 'Rebuild reservation API in Go', 'Support database migration to Postgres 16', 'Run code reviews with the frontend team'. No one wants to read 'responsible for backend architecture'; everyone wants to read 'rebuild reservation API in Go'.
Requirements block: 5, not 15
Cut everything 'nice to have'. Keep: 3 key skills (backend language, database, cloud), 1 soft skill (running code reviews), 1 prerequisite (EU work permit or C1 German). If you really want more, make a separate 'nice to have' block - max 3.
What we offer + salary range
What: full-time / part-time / remote share, vacation days, equity if startup, payroll interface. Salary: concrete range, not 'competitive'. Example: '€60,000 - €78,000 gross/year, 30 vacation days, 4-day-week optional, 100% remote possible, stock options from year 2'.
Application call with clear path
One sentence, one link, no marketing fluff. Example: 'Send us your CV + 3 sentences on the project you were most proud of, to [link to careers page]'. No one wants to read 'we look forward to you'; everyone wants to know what to send and where.
Why most job ads underperform
Three patterns recur. One - the title is too creative. 'Code hero', 'marketing magician', 'sales ninja' aren't searchable; applicants search for 'backend developer', 'marketing manager', 'account executive'. If you need the creative title, add it as subtitle.
Two - the requirements block is too long. 15 'you bring' points signal either uncertainty or the wish for a unicorn. Both deter qualified candidates who realistically assess their own competence. Three - salary missing. An ad without salary loses ~40% of top-performance applications because senior candidates won't invest time in an unknown negotiation corridor.
The six building blocks, with example
We recommend structuring job ads in exactly six blocks. Not too few (all mandatory aspects covered) and not too many (reading flow preserved).
What you *can't* ask in the ad
AGG risks: don't ask gender (unless the role objectively requires it, rare), don't ask age, religion, disability, sexual orientation. Don't ask marital status or pregnancy. Don't ask ethnic origin. Also not indirectly ('native German speaker' is risky; 'business-fluent German C1' is clean).
Requiring a photo isn't mandatory since 2006 and AGG-risky - makes gender / age / ethnicity identification trivial. Recommendation: make photo optional, don't require.
Salary in or out - the honest answer
In. A range, not a point. Example: '€60,000 - €78,000 per year, depending on experience'. Three effects: (1) qualified applications rise 30-50% per LinkedIn data; (2) negotiation corridor is clear, nobody dragged below range; (3) AGG risk falls because salary doesn't depend on gut estimates appearing in discrimination claims.
FAQ
Frequently asked
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Written by
Julia Yukovich
Co-Founder + CEO
Julia is one of the Co-Founders. She handles design, product direction, and most of the support replies that arrive in the morning.
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