A careers page checklist and template for small businesses.
A small business careers page needs six things: a clear headline about what it is like to work with you, your open roles with pay ranges, a short honest description of the team and the work, how the hiring process works, a simple way to apply and a way for people to join your talent community when nothing fits today. Add a few technical basics so it gets found, and everything else is optional. This checklist covers each element, with a template you can copy.
Why your careers page matters more than your job ads
Job ads get people interested. Your careers page is where they decide. Candidates who see your role on LinkedIn or a job board usually check your website before applying, and a missing or thin careers page makes a small business look less established than it is. It is also the one recruitment channel you own outright, with no posting fees and no algorithm deciding who sees it.
The careers page checklist
1. A headline that says something real
Skip "Join our amazing team". Say what you do and what working with you is like in one sentence, eg "Help 400 local businesses keep their books straight, in a team of 12 that finishes at 5".
2. Open roles, easy to scan
- Job title, location or remote status and work type for every role
- Pay range on every role
- A one-line summary before the full description
- A shareable link for each role, so you can post it on LinkedIn and social channels
3. What it is actually like to work there
A few short paragraphs and two or three real photos beat a page of values. Cover the work itself, the people, flexibility, development and the benefits you genuinely offer.
4. How the hiring process works
List the stages and roughly how long each takes, eg application, a 20-minute call, an interview with the team and an offer. Candidates are far more likely to apply when they know what to expect.
5. A simple way to apply
Ask only what you need at this stage. A CV, a few screening questions and contact details are enough. If you already use an applicant tracking system, link each role's apply button straight to it.
6. A way to join when nothing fits
This is the element most careers pages miss. Add a "join our talent community" option so visitors who do not apply today can leave their details and be notified when a relevant role opens. Read more in what is a talent community?
7. The basics that help you get found
- A clear page title and description, eg "Careers at [Business name], [city]"
- Each role on its own page with its own URL
- Fast loading and easy to use on a phone
- Job posting structured data if you want roles to appear in Google's job search experience. Check Google's JobPosting guidance for the current requirements.
A careers page template you can copy
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Headline | One sentence on what you do and what working with you is like |
| Open roles | Title, location, work type, pay range and a one-line summary for each |
| Life here | Three short paragraphs on the work, the team and flexibility, plus real photos |
| Benefits | Only what you genuinely offer, in a short list |
| How we hire | The stages and timings |
| Join our talent community | Short form: name, email, interests, location and consent |
| Contact | Who to ask about roles and how |
Careers page design tips
- Match your main website's branding so the page feels like part of the business, not a third-party form.
- Put open roles near the top. Most visitors come to see jobs, not read about culture.
- Use real photos of your team and workplace rather than stock images where you can.
- Design for mobile first. Many candidates browse jobs on their phones.
- Show the page even when you have no vacancies. "No open roles right now, join our talent community" is far better than a 404.
How to measure whether it is working
- Visits to the careers page and to each role
- Applications per role, and where applicants came from
- Talent community sign-ups each month
- How many hires came from the talent community rather than paid ads
Build it without a developer
If your website makes job pages awkward to manage, a dedicated careers page tool is faster. Spacewalk's careers page software gives you a branded careers page on your own website, live in about 10 minutes, with roles you can post quickly, shared application review and a built-in talent community. You can explore a live board in the Demo Centre, and plans start from £10 (US$13, A$19) a month billed yearly with a 14-day free trial and no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a careers page?
A clear headline, open roles with pay ranges, an honest description of the team and work, the hiring process, a simple way to apply and a way to join your talent community when no role fits.
What do candidates look for on a careers page?
Mostly the roles themselves, pay, flexibility, what the team and work are like and what the hiring process involves. Real detail matters more than design polish.
Should a small business have a careers page if it is not hiring?
Yes. A careers page with a talent community sign-up collects interested people between hiring rounds, so your next role starts with candidates rather than an empty job ad.
How do I improve my careers page conversion rate?
Show pay ranges, put roles near the top, shorten the application form, explain the hiring process, make the page work well on mobile and give non-applicants a way to join your talent community.