We read a lot of finance job adverts in West & North Yorkshire, from Financial Controller to Credit Control level, and most of them make the same mistakes.  Vague job titles, a wall of jargon, and a “flexibility considered” line buried somewhere near the bottom, as if it’s an afterthought rather than one of the first things candidates now look for. Here’s how to write the perfect finance job advert!
Lead with why someone would want this job, not just what they’ll do
A lot of adverts open with a heavy list of duties. Flip it. What makes this role genuinely interesting? A growing business, a supportive team, real progression, a chance to shape the finance function rather than just maintain it – whatever’s true for your business, say it early. Duties can come after; the buy in needs to come first.
Be upfront about flexibility – near the top, not the bottom
We’ve said this before and we’ll keep saying it: candidates are choosing between similar roles based on flexibility, not just salary. If you offer hybrid working, flexible hours, compressed weeks, or genuine part-time options, don’t bury it in bullet point seven. Say it clearly, early, and mean it. Vague lines like “some flexibility considered” read as lip service to anyone who’s job hunted before.
List the benefits package clearly, near the top
Salary gets all the attention, but the benefits package is often what seals the deal, yet a lot of finance adverts either bury it right at the bottom or leave it out entirely.
Pension contributions, private healthcare, study support, extra annual leave, enhanced parental leave, life assurance, wellbeing perks – if you offer any of it, say so clearly and be specific, near the top of the advert, not squeezed into a final paragraph nobody reaches. Candidates are comparing multiple roles at once, often quickly, and a strong benefits package listed upfront can be the difference between a click and a scroll-past, especially when two roles look similar on salary alone.
Include a salary range
We know this one can feel uncomfortable, but the data backs it up – job ads with a salary range consistently get more applications, not fewer. Finance candidates are numbers people; a role with no salary listed reads as a business either hiding something or not sure what the role’s worth. Neither is a great first impression.
Skip the jargon and the buzzword soup
“Dynamic self-starter” and “fast-paced environment” tell candidates nothing real about the job. If the environment is genuinely fast-paced, describe what that truly looks like day to day. If you want someone proactive, say what that looks like in practice.
Keep the essential requirements short and honest
A long list of “must haves”, half of which aren’t really essential, puts off good finance candidates who don’t tick every single box, particularly (the research consistently shows) women and career returners, who are statistically less likely to apply unless they meet almost every listed requirement. Separate genuine must-haves from nice-to-haves, and keep the must-have list short and real.
Make the application process easy
If applying means uploading a CV, writing a cover letter, filling in a lengthy form, and answering ten screening questions, you’ve already lost some strong candidates to a business with a two-click process. Cut the friction wherever you genuinely can.
Show a bit of personality
Finance job ads are often the driest thing on a careers page, and it doesn’t need to be that way. A sentence or two of genuine personality -about the team, the culture, what makes the business different, helps a candidate picture themselves there, and helps your advert stand out from the ten other near-identical ones they’ve scrolled past that day.
We can help you get it right first time
At Campbell Grove Talent, we write and review finance job adverts every single day – we know what gets a genuine response in the Yorkshire finance market, and what quietly puts candidates off before they’ve even clicked through. Whether you need us to write the perfect finance job advert, review yours, or handle the whole search for you, get in touch on 0113 418 0877 or hello@cgtalent.co.uk and let’s get your next hire moving.
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