A bad hire eats money and morale. The fix begins before you ever post. Get crystal clear on who you need, then write something that person actually wants to answer.

Start with a clean job spec. In one tidy sentence, define the role and what success looks like. Then list the essentials you must see in a candidate for this store, right now. Think language level, customer service skills, availability, flexibility, and any compliance basics. Next, note what would make you smile at shortlist stage, such as experience in a similar setting or managing similar-sized teams. Finally, allow yourself a wish list for the dream version of the hire, like a track record of hitting KPIs or familiarity with your exact system.

To keep yourself honest, sort those notes into three buckets. Need to have covers non-negotiables like right to work, core availability, and functional English to complete training and handle complaints. Like to have might include closing experience, safe checks, or specific system experience. Love to have is where you place proven impact, for example, improving waste or shrink, lifting a mystery shop score, or training new starters to productivity. This discipline stops unicorn hunting, keeps interviews focused, and gives you the raw ingredients for an ad that works.

Now turn the spec into an ad that attracts, informs, and filters. Think of your ad as a short sales pitch. It is not a contract. It is an invitation. Show why the role is worth their effort and make it very easy to decide if it is a match. Put the basics up top where no one can miss them. State hours and typical patterns. Give the exact location with a quick nod to parking or public transport. Share a transparent pay band and explain when reviews happen. Confirm language expectations, visa or right-to-work requirements, and the core duties. Candidates leave when surprises show up later, so remove the surprises.

Once the foundations are clear, explain why someone would want to work with you. If you are not sure what to highlight, ask your current team. Do they value a fair rota, a friendly and supportive culture, or real progression? Perhaps you offer a sensible work-life balance, or paid training that actually leads somewhere. Whatever it is, say it plainly and keep it real. The aim of the ad is to attract the right people, not to frighten off the very people you want.

Here is a ready-to-use model you can adapt:

“We are hiring a duty manager for our city centre convenience store. The shop is growing, and we have a second site planned, so this is a chance to lead shifts and make a mark. You will run the daily huddle, keep standards sharp, manage waste and shrink inside agreed bands, and coach new starters to full speed. The contract is 39 hours with typical shifts of 6.30 to 3.00 or 1.30 to 10.00, two weekends in four. Pay is €xx to €xx DOE with an annual review. You must have the right to work and experience leading a shift, or clear evidence you are ready to do so. Ordering on Symbol X, safe checks, and complaint call-backs are a bonus. We offer paid training modules, a skills passport with a path to assistant manager in nine to 12 months, and a fair rota policy where one preferred shift is honoured each week, where possible. To apply, send a CV with three impact lines, or a short voice note telling us about the best shift you led, a problem you fixed, and a number you improved.”

One tidy paragraph can tell the whole story!

The next step

Once the ad is live, move with pace. Aim for first contact within 48 hours and an interview inside a week. Slow processes lose the best people, especially in peak season. Have your screening rhythm ready. Start by checking availability and commute, confirm salary expectations are in the same ballpark, then verify right to work and notice period. When those basics are aligned, ask two or three focused questions drawn from your spec. For example, “Tell me about a time you kept waste in range,” or “Walk me through a busy close you led and how you kept queues down.” You are looking for short, specific answers with proof.

Use the interview to sell as much as you select. If you have identified a good match, spend the last few minutes sharing a success story about a previous hire who progressed, or highlight the concrete benefits of your store and this role. Show enthusiasm. Show the rota rules and training passport. Let the candidate meet a future teammate for five minutes. Good people choose managers and teams as much as managers choose people.

What to avoid

A quick word on common mistakes. Hidden pay and vague rotas are application killers. Long delays, missed calls, and messy scheduling tell a story about how a week might feel on the job. None of that helps you land the person who will steady the floor when the delivery arrives early, and the coffee machine picks the same minute to die.

Great hiring starts with a clean spec and a clear ad. Set expectations early, speak your candidate’s language, and sell what is real about your store. Do that and you will attract stronger applicants, make faster decisions, and enter peak season with a team that enjoys turning the key.

For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email nikki@excelrecruitment.com.