Stop writing job ads like compliance forms and start attracting purpose-driven healthcare talent

The healthcare hiring problem hiding in plain sight

Every week, hundreds of healthcare job ads go live across Australia, and most of them look, sound and feel identical. The same headlines. The same buzzwords. The same long list of duties.

For recruitment expert Brian Lawler, founder of Black Sparrow, that sameness isn’t coincidence. It’s a symptom of how healthcare leaders have been taught to hire.

“In healthcare, job adverts all sound the same because they’re written for compliance, not connection,” says Lawler. “They don’t talk directly to the candidate or tell them why they’d want to work for you – what benefits they’ll get, how their career can grow, or the impact they’ll have each day.”

He gives the example of Queensland Health, where job ads often begin with a reference number before anything else.

“Within Queensland Health, every job advert starts off with a job title and then a number at the end of it,” Lawler says. “I mean, I’m not a number. It’s far from engaging and it doesn’t really attract people.”

He’s quick to clarify that compliance isn’t the enemy. It’s simply the wrong starting point.

“Most job ads are written from a compliance mindset instead of a marketing or sales one. You’re selling an opportunity, not just listing requirements.”

Healthcare businesses, he says, have mastered patient communication but often forget to use the same empathy when speaking to potential staff.

“If you can market care, you can market culture,” he adds. “It just takes a change in mindset.”

From box-ticking to belonging

In a labour market shaped by shortages, burnout and rising expectations, purpose-driven employees have options. Yet many clinics still rely on job ads that sound transactional rather than human.

“The biggest mistake I see small to medium-sized businesses make, particularly in healthcare, is that their job ads are all about them. What’s in it for the clinic, and not what’s in it for the candidate,” Lawler says.

For job seekers, that disconnect is immediate. They scroll past, not because the clinic isn’t great, but because the message never reaches them.

“Most small to medium-sized businesses tend to wing it when it comes to recruitment,” he says. “They think throwing any kind of job advert online will attract the right person. Nine times out of ten, it doesn’t.”

The result is a cycle of rushed advertising, poor fit, early turnover and another vacancy six months later. “If they just paused long enough to tell their story,” Lawler says, “they’d attract a very different calibre of applicant.”

The power of human language

So what does that story look like? It starts by stripping away the corporate tone and writing in a voice that sounds like your clinic actually speaks.

“Tell the person reading the advert why they want to work for you,” Lawler says. “Why are you great? What’s your purpose? What do you value? What will they get out of joining your team?”

In other words, speak to what people crave: growth, connection and contribution, not just another position description.

That’s why Lawler believes healthcare employers need to think more like storytellers than administrators.

“Let’s keep it human and real. Too many job ads are just fluff, full of lines about being a great place to work or how careers can blossom. Candidates want to understand how and where that actually happens.”

Proof beats polish

Saying you have a great culture isn’t enough. You have to show it.

“Share a story about the last person who joined your business and how their career has grown,” Lawler says. “Better still, if you can, film a short video and include it in your job ad. But it needs to come from the employee’s perspective, not the owner’s. The employee story is always more powerful.”

Clinics don’t need expensive production to do this well. A short paragraph about a recent hire. How they started, what they’ve learned, what they enjoy – it paints a clearer picture than any corporate statement.

Authenticity, Lawler says, is the currency of recruitment. “People can spot fluff in two sentences,” he adds. “But they can also spot passion, and that’s what they’ll remember.”

A small change that changes everything

For Lawler, the quickest win is also the simplest: fix your opening line.

“Instead of writing, ‘We’re looking for a receptionist to join our busy practice,’ say, ‘We’re looking for the first smile our patients see or the friendly voice on the end of the phone.’”

That one line shifts a job from transactional to meaningful. It also mirrors how healthcare leaders talk about care, with empathy, pride and purpose.

Top tips for writing job ads that attract purpose-driven healthcare talent

1. Start with why, not what – Open with your clinic’s mission and patient impact before listing responsibilities.
2.  Write conversationally – Avoid corporate jargon. Use “you” and “we” to sound human and approachable.
3. Be specific about culture – Replace vague claims like “supportive team” with concrete examples: mentoring, flexible hours or Friday debriefs.
4. Highlight growth and learning – Mention skills, supervision and professional development opportunities, especially for early-career clinicians.
5. Tell a real story –  Feature a short employee story or quote. It’s proof that your culture is real.
6. Show the human impact – Connect the role to patient outcomes or community impact so people see the purpose behind the work.
7. End with belonging – Invite applicants to be part of something meaningful: “If you want to join a team that values connection and growth, we’d love to hear from you.”

The takeaway

Recruitment isn’t just about filling a vacancy. It’s about showing who you are as a business and as a team.

As Lawler puts it: “Ditch the boring job ads with the boring job titles. Sell the opportunity to a candidate who wants to work for you. Great candidates do exist, they’re looking for people just like you.”

Because in healthcare, every role contributes to care. Your job ad should reflect that.

Part of The People Practice Series

Presented by Black Sparrow

This article is part of The People Practice Series, a three-part editorial collection presented by Black Sparrow and published by Veri Health. The series explores how healthcare leaders can attract, engage and retain purpose-driven talent across every stage of the employee journey.

Next in the series:

1. Understanding your Employer Value Proposition (EVP) – how to define and communicate what truly sets your clinic apart. 
2. From hiring headaches to health teams in healthcare