“Rockstar ninja wanted. Must thrive in a fast-paced environment. Competitive salary.” If that sounds like your last job ad, this one's for you. No judgement. We've got rewrites.
Here's the uncomfortable number. In the Youth Voice Census 2026, just 18% of young people said they believe employers are supportive of hiring them. Nearly half (47%) think employers are actively unsupportive.
And here's the hopeful one. Among young people already in work, 67% describe their employer as youth-friendly.
So most employers are better than young people expect. Your job ad is the first chance to prove it, and for a small business without a big brand name, it's often the only chance.
What's putting Gen Z off your ad
“Experience required” on an entry-level role. A lack of work experience is the number one barrier young people report, picked by 57%. Only 28% feel confident they have enough. If the job can be learned, say so.
No salary. “Competitive” reads as “low, and we'd rather not say”. Young people are watching every pound right now, and an ad with no pay gets skipped.
Jargon and clichés. “Dynamic self-starter”, “work hard play hard”, “like a family”. They tell a 19 year old nothing about what they'd actually do on a Tuesday.
A wall of requirements. Twelve bullet points of essentials makes good people rule themselves out, especially young women and neurodivergent applicants, who tend to apply only when they tick every box.
A long, clunky application. If it takes 40 minutes on a phone, most won't finish.
Silence afterwards. Being ghosted is the quickest way to confirm the “employers don't want us” belief.
The 8-part job ad that works
- 1.A plain job title. “Trainee Kitchen Fitter”, not “Installation Superstar”
- 2.The pay, hours and location, up top. Include the actual number, the actual days, and whether you can get there by bus
- 3.What you'll actually do. Describe a real day in four or five bullets
- 4.What you'll learn. Training, qualifications, who'll be showing them the ropes
- 5.Who it suits. Describe strengths, not experience: “you like fixing things and don't mind early starts”
- 6.What's genuinely essential. Two or three things, maximum. Driving licence? Say so. Everything else is trainable.
- 7.Who you are. Two honest sentences about the business and the team they'd join
- 8.How to apply and what happens next. One simple step, a named person, and when they'll hear back
Before and after
Example 1: the café
Before
“We are seeking a dynamic, passionate team player to join our fast-paced hospitality family. Must have barista experience and excellent communication skills. Competitive pay. Apply with CV and cover letter.”
After
“Weekend Barista, £10.85 to £12.71 an hour depending on age, plus tips. Saturdays and Sundays, 8am to 4pm, Sudbury town centre. Never made a flat white? We'll teach you in your first two weeks. It suits someone friendly who likes being busy and remembers a regular's order. Message Sam with a few lines about yourself. We reply to everyone within a week.”
Example 2: the office
Before
“Administrator required. Minimum 2 years' experience in a similar role. Must be proficient in all Microsoft packages, highly organised, and able to work under pressure. Salary DOE.”
After
“Office Junior, £21,500 a year, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, ten minutes' walk from Colchester station. You'll answer the phone, keep the diary straight, send invoices and help the team stay organised. No office experience needed. If you're the person who makes the plans in your friend group, you'll be good at this. Full training, and we'll fund a Level 3 Business Admin qualification if you want it.”
Example 3: the trade
Before
“Apprentice wanted. Must be hardworking, reliable and punctual. No time wasters.”
After
“Apprentice Electrician, starting at £8.50 an hour and rising each year as you qualify. You'll work alongside Dave and Priya on house rewires and small commercial jobs around Ipswich, with one day a week at college. You'll need GCSE maths and English at grade 4, a head for heights and a 7.30am start. We provide tools, PPE and a lift from the yard.”
Notice what changed: real pay, real hours, real people, real tasks, and an honest line about who it suits.
Words to swap
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Competitive salary | The number |
| Fast-paced environment | “Lunchtimes are busy, afternoons are calmer” |
| Must have experience | “We'll train you” |
| Excellent communication skills | “You'll chat to customers and answer the phone” |
| Self-starter | “Once you know the ropes, you'll run the Saturday shift yourself” |
| We're like a family | “There are six of us. We have lunch together on Fridays.” |
| No time wasters | Delete it |
Make it easy to say yes
- Keep the application short. A CV or a few lines about themselves. Not both plus a form.
- Make it work on a phone. That's where it'll be read.
- Mention transport. Only 26% of young people think good jobs exist locally, and a job they can't reach isn't a real option. Bus route, parking, bike storage: say it.
- Offer adjustments up front. One line does it: “Tell us if you need anything to make applying or interviewing easier.”
- Reduce the fear. A third of young people (33%) say anxiety is a barrier to finding work. Telling them what the interview involves, or sharing the questions in advance, gets you better answers and more applicants.
- Reply to everyone. Even a two-line “not this time, thank you”. In a small town, that reputation travels.
Put it where they'll see it
A brilliant ad on a jobs board nobody under 25 visits is still invisible. Try local Facebook groups, Instagram, your shop window, local colleges and sixth forms, and word of mouth through your current team.
Quick checklist before you post
Where inyourroots® comes in
inyourroots® helps local small businesses meet young people who already know how they work best. Less guesswork, better fit: strengths and skills first, with local context.
We're in beta across Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire and looking for local SMEs to join us. Create your free profile at ecosystem.inyourroots.com/start
Pay figures in the examples are illustrative. Always check current minimum wage rates on GOV.UK before advertising.