Write a clear job post when you're hiring help

Say clearly what the work is, so the right people can raise their hands.

By Rich Thurman, who spent about 15 years at Microsoft as an application-development consultant and has helped about 1,500 small businesses automate the busywork that eats their week. He still builds real software, AI and data systems today.

What it is

This free NextGen Business Community guide helps you write a short job post. A job post tells people what the work is, when it happens, and how to apply. A free AI tool writes the first draft from your notes. You check it, fix it, and post it yourself.

It works when you need a part-time helper, extra hands for a busy season, or a contractor who works on their own.

Why it matters for your business

A vague post brings vague answers. If you write "Help wanted, call me," you may get lots of calls from people who are not a fit. That eats your time.

A clear post does some of the sorting for you. When people can see the tasks, the hours and the skills, the right people are more likely to apply. Great hiring starts with knowing what you need.

So start with a list of the tasks you want to hand off. If you did the guide "List the jobs you could hand off," you already have one.

Here is a made-up example. Ben owns a small bakery. Saturdays are packed, and he needs someone at the counter from early morning to noon. His first post said "Bakery help needed." Few people answered, and most asked what the job was. His new post lists the day, the hours, the tasks (greet people, box orders, run the register, wipe tables) and how to apply. Now the people who reply know what they are signing up for.

Try it with AI

Open a free AI tool, like ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. Don't paste in anyone's name or private details. Copy this prompt, fill in the brackets, and paste it in.

I run a small business: [what you do].
I need help with: [tasks, one per line].
Days and hours: [days and hours].
Skills that matter: [skills]. Nice to have: [extras].
Pay: [pay, or "leave a spot for pay"].
How to apply: [email, phone or form].
Write a short, friendly job post in plain words. Use a title, two short lines about the business, a list of tasks, the hours, and how to apply. Stick to the work. Do not add perks, promises or facts I did not give you.

What a good answer looks like: a post you can read in under a minute, with the tasks in a short list. If it sounds like a big company, type "Make it sound like a small local shop."

A few things to watch for:

• Stick to the work, not the person. Leave out things like age, health or family plans.
• Hiring has rules. They cover what a post can say, how you pay, and whether someone is one of your employees or a contractor. Before you post, check the U.S. Department of Labor website, your state's labor office, or a pro.

5-minute exercise

1. Write down the tasks you want help with, one per line.
2. Run the prompt and read the draft out loud.
3. Fix anything that is not true or not clear. Save it.

Done when: you have a job post draft saved and ready to check against the rules.

Takeaway

Say clearly what the work is, so the right people can raise their hands.

The NextGen team

Questions

When does this help?

It works when you need a part-time helper, extra hands for a busy season, or a contractor who works on their own.

What should the post leave out?

Stick to the work, not the person. Leave out things like age, health or family plans.

Where do I check the hiring rules?

Before you post, check the U.S. Department of Labor website, your state's labor office, or a pro.

Related: List the jobs you could hand off · All guides.

Watch AI used on real jobs, live and free

I feed it the actual copy of the post and then I get back from it the response to that Facebook post and I've gone from getting no likes on those to getting about 10 or 15 likes on people that have read those posts [...]

Every Tuesday at 5:30 pm Arizona time, Rich teaches a free 30-minute AI training on everyday business jobs like the one on this page, then Q&A for the rest of the hour. Online, on Zoom, open to everyone.

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Practical help, not legal, tax or financial advice. Check anything important with a pro.