A growth role job post that brings the right applicants: seven lines for Indian hiring teams

The short version

A job post is a sales page for a job. Most growth role posts fail in the same way. They list twelve tools, fifteen skills and a promise of a busy team, then ask for a resume. The people who apply are the ones who can copy a list, not the ones who have done the work. Seven lines, written with care, change who applies.

The seven lines are: the role, what the person owns, how success is checked, the tools, the pay range, how to apply and who should not apply. Each line does one job.

Why the usual post attracts the wrong people

A long list of skills makes almost everyone feel they might qualify, so the wrong people apply and the right people wonder if they are the kind of person you want. Vague titles such as growth ninja or marketing wizard attract attention but not clarity. A post with no pay range gets a flood of questions, and a post that asks for a hundred words of motivation gets a weak reply.

The fix is not a longer post. It is a clearer one.

The seven lines

1. The role in one plain sentence. For example: We are hiring a performance marketing executive to run paid ads for our online course, based in Bengaluru, with some remote work.
2. What the person owns in the early ninety days. Two or three outcomes, such as: runs two weekly ad tests, owns the weekly review with the founder, and sets up the lead tracking sheet.
3. How success is checked. One or two measures that the candidate can understand and influence, such as the cost per enquiry on the test campaigns, measured on a sheet they update every Friday.
4. The tools. The tools they will use every week. Name just the ones that matter. Say if a tool is new to the team.
5. The pay range. A clear range, with the basis, such as fixed pay plus a bonus linked to a named measure. If you cannot give a range yet, say when you will.
6. How to apply. A short reply, not a long form. For example: Send two lines on a campaign you ran, and what you would test next for us.
7. Who should not apply. One honest line, such as: not a fit if you want a fixed schedule with no weekend work, or if you prefer a team with no testing at all.

Keep the whole post under 250 words. If it grows longer, you are describing the team, not the job. Put the team story on a separate page and link to it.

A worked example, illustrative

This example is illustrative and uses a made up company. A small online course business in Bengaluru wants a growth executive. The founder's rough draft listed fourteen skills and a promise of a dynamic team. It attracted 300 applications and very few replies with real campaign examples.

The rewritten post names the job, the outcomes, the check, the pay basis and the reply. It asks for thinking, not a long form. The founder received fewer applications, and most of the replies showed a campaign and a test they would run.

What a good reply looks like

A good reply to step six does three things. It names a real piece of work, it says what the candidate would do next and it shows a clear view of the goal. A weak reply is a list of adjectives, a claim of being a fast learner and a request for a call with no detail. You do not need every reply to be brilliant. You need the top few to show thinking you can build on.

Score replies on the same three points. Keep the scores in a sheet next to the applicant list. Read the top ten replies together with the hiring manager before you decide who gets a call. Shared reading keeps the decision fair and quick.

Words to check for fairness

Read the post aloud and check for words that narrow who applies without reason. Phrases such as young and energetic, or a rockstar for a role that needs careful work, can discourage good candidates and may raise fairness concerns. Describe the work and the outcome instead. Use one line that invites every qualified person to apply, and make the reply step the same for everyone.

If your hiring is covered by specific rules, check them with a qualified adviser before you publish the post.

Pay range: say it, and say the basis

A range helps you and the candidate. It cuts the time spent on pay questions and filters people who are looking for something else. Give the range you can defend and explain how it is set, such as fixed pay for the role plus a bonus linked to a named measure. If the range is still being decided, write that you will confirm it on the call, and keep the promise.

Never publish a figure you cannot support. If you are quoting market rates from a survey, name the survey and its date, or mark the figure as unverified.

Mistakes that bring the wrong applicants

• A skill list with no job. Fifteen skills show nothing about what the person will do on Monday.
• No outcome. A post that says we want growth gives no clue about the work.
• A form instead of a reply. A long form slows the strongest candidates and attracts the ones who will fill anything in.
• Vague pay. Silence on pay makes good people assume the number is low.
• No line on who should not apply. Without it, you will screen many people who want a different job.
• Adjectives instead of facts. Busy and quick describe almost every job on earth.

Frequently asked questions

Should I list the tools?

List the three or four tools used every week. A long tool list lowers the quality of applicants without showing real skill.

How do I ask for a portfolio without putting people off?

Ask for one campaign or one piece of work, described in two lines. A portfolio link is optional, not required.

Is it fine to post the pay range on a job board?

Yes, if the range is real and you can explain its basis. Many candidates prefer it.

How many applications should I expect?

Estimates vary by city and role. Track your own numbers for two postings, and compare the reply quality rather than the volume.

Should I ask for a cover letter?

Ask for a short reply to one question. A cover letter with no question attached is harder to compare.

Can you check my post before I publish?

Yes. Send the post and the role outcomes on WhatsApp, and we will go through the seven lines together.

Your next step

Rewrite your current growth post in the seven lines this week. Check it for the wording points above. Publish it, and compare the next batch of applicants with the last one. The better reply is the test.

Written by Madhur Tyagi, founder of The Human Algorithm. 8+ years, 25+ brands, since 2017.

Scope note: Examples are illustrative, not client results. Numbers are marked with their source or as unverified. Nothing on this page is sent unless you press the WhatsApp button.