Getting the message out - effective advertising
Fencepost is the most effective place to advertise dairy farm roles and Fonterra and DairyNZ are working together to ensure that this continues. This page outlines some tips for writing a great ad on Fencepost.
You will see a few changes in the way Fencepost is laid out. The aim of this is to assist employers write more effective job adverts. Observation of adverts on Fencepost over time tells us that there is often a lot of critical information missed out.
Detail is important!
The aim of an advert is to attract qualified people to apply for the role you are advertising. Research tells us that a greater level of detail is desirable as it allows the person viewing the ad to more accurately self select for the role – which means they will only apply if they think they are suited. This means you save lots of time in the process because you don’t have to talk to people who are not really suited to your role.
We have also spent some time talking to farm staff and the fields you are being asked to enter reflect what staff want to know about the job. We know this will make the whole recruitment and selection process a lot easier.
Preparation provides foundation
You will only be in a position to get maximum value from the new format if you have done the preparation required to clearly define your requirements. With this information in hand you will be well placed to write an ad that attracts the type of person you want.
Writing your ad on Fencepost
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To go to the Fencepost Jobs section click here.
When you are ready to write your advert, Fencepost will take you through the following steps, although there will be some variation depending on the position you are advertising (especially where you advertise a contract or sharemilking job):
Primary details |
Job Title |
Be inventive and have some fun. This is the headline of your ad so something eye catching will encourage people to read your ad first. |
| Closing date for applications | You will only be able to place an ad for four weeks before it will close. | |
| Region | Pick the region the job exists in. | |
| Category |
Make sure the responsibility areas match the category. Calling someone who only milks the cows a farm manager undersells the profession of farm management. | |
| Position Type |
This describes the legal status of the role. | |
| Position Start Date |
Select the date you require the successful candidate to start their new role. | |
Farm Details |
Area Cows peak milked and Number of staff |
This provides a brief outline of the farm. |
| Farm location |
Describe where the farm is and how it is placed with respect to important services, such as school or town. | |
| Farm description | This is your opportunity to describe the farm. Think about facilities and management policies that might be important. | |
Job Specifications |
Job Description | This describes the responsibility areas of the role, or the task areas for more junior staff. The preparation you have put in will help you here. |
| Hours of work |
Describing the hours of work is a legal requirement. This step will give you a table to break down the year. | |
| Roster | This indicates the time off that can be expected. | |
| Person Specification |
This is where you describe the knowledge, skills, attitudes and experience that you want in the applicants. This is where they can really tell if they fit the bill – so be specific, but watch out for discrimination. See the Legal Requirements Fact Sheet | |
Remuneration and Benefits |
Remuneration |
We are asking for some information here that will help with collating industry labour market information. You can choose not to advertise this information, but remember employees have asked for this information. It is important to be able to establish if the salary on offer is close to their needs. |
| Job Benefits | Describe the non-cash benefits and any additional benefits that might be available, like availability of training, being close to hunting, or having use of the farm ute. | |
| Accommodation Provided | Describe any accommodation provided | |
Contact Details |
For junior positions a phone call is often the most appropriate way to receive applications. If you use a mobile phone number, be prepared to get a few Txt queries. For more senior positions, requesting a C.V. is appropriate. In all cases you should provide a contact name for someone to call or write to. |
- For more information: Fact Sheet: Recruitment and Selection
View PDF (485kb)
Other sources of staff
Some other ideas for how to get people to apply for your job include:
- Word of mouth through friends and associates
- Referrals from other team members – this means team fit is taken care of
- Direct approaches to a potential applicant – although “poaching” can lead to long lasting feuds between neighbours!
- Local school or club newsletters
- Listing with farm consultants or an agricultural employment agency.
