How to Write a Mental Health Job Ad That Attracts the Right Candidates

You’ve spent weeks refining your team structure, securing funding, and mapping caseloads. Then you post a job ad that reads: *“We are looking for a passionate mental health professional to join our dynamic team.”* Three days later, you’ve got 47 applications — and exactly zero you’d actually interview.

Sound familiar? The problem isn’t the candidate pool. It’s the ad.

In Australian mental health, the best clinicians are discerning. They’ve been burned by vague job descriptions, mismatched caseloads, and promises that vanish after onboarding. If you want to hire someone who stays, you need to write an ad that respects their time, their expertise, and their career goals.

Start with the Role, Not the Organisation

Many employers open with a paragraph about their mission, values, and history. The candidate skips it. They want to know: *What will I actually do every day?*

Lead with the specific role. For example:

• “You’ll manage a caseload of 25 NDIS participants across the Northern Beaches, delivering behaviour support plans under specialist registration.”
• “You’ll run six individual therapy sessions per day via telehealth, with two afternoons reserved for school-based outreach in Logan.”

This immediately tells a psychologist, social worker, or behaviour support practitioner whether the job fits their skills and preferences. If you’re hiring for a niche role like a psychosocial recovery coach, name it explicitly. Don’t bury it under “support worker” and hope the right person applies.

Be Honest About Caseload and Admin Time

Nothing kills retention faster than a caseload number that was fiction from day one.

If a clinician is expected to see six clients per day, say so. If they’ll spend two hours per week on team meetings and four hours on notes, put that in the ad. For roles like NDIS occupational therapists or allied health assistants, admin time is a major factor in burnout.

Use a table to make it clear:

This level of specificity signals that you understand the realities of the work. It also helps candidates self-select — a good thing when you’re trying to avoid high turnover.

Include the Salary Range and Funding Source

Australian mental health professionals are increasingly savvy about funding models. A psychologist who has worked in Medicare Better Access knows exactly what a 50-minute session pays. An exercise physiologist in the NDIS knows the difference between plan-managed and self-managed billing.

If your ad says “competitive salary” without a figure, many experienced clinicians will assume it’s below market. Instead, state the range and clarify how it’s structured:

• “$100,000–$115,000 + super, based on experience. Billable target: 4.5 hours per day.”
• “Hourly rate of $55–$75 for AHA roles, with paid non-billable time for supervision and training.”

This is especially important for roles like credentialled mental health nurses or accredited mental health social workers, where Medicare rebates create a clear floor for earnings.

Describe the Support Structure

Clinicians leave jobs because they feel unsupported. If you offer supervision, professional development, or a clear career pathway, say so — and be specific.

Avoid: “We offer ongoing professional development.”

Better: “You’ll receive fortnightly individual supervision with a senior clinician, plus monthly peer group supervision. We fund one external PD course per year up to $2,000.”

For provisional psychologists or new graduates, supervision ratios and board-approved supervisors are deal-breakers. For lived experience workers, clarity about peer supervision and organisational understanding of recovery-oriented practice matters more than a flashy office.

Write for the Role, Not the Generic Professional

A job ad for a youth worker in a school-based program should sound different to one for a family therapist in a Relationships Australia clinic. Use language that reflects the setting, the client group, and the modality.

For example, a child and adolescent psychiatrist ad might reference “collaboration with headspace and local paediatricians.” An AOD worker ad should mention “harm reduction principles” and “dual diagnosis capability.”

This specificity helps candidates picture themselves in the role. It also signals that you understand the field — which builds trust before the first interview.

What Not to Do

• Don’t use jargon like “dynamic team player” without evidence of what that means.
• Don’t list 15 “essential criteria” when five are genuinely essential. If you require AHPRA registration, say that. If you prefer experience with complex trauma, say “desirable.”
• Don’t hide the location. “Multiple sites available” without naming them wastes everyone’s time.
• Don’t promise flexibility you can’t deliver. If the role requires three days in the office, be upfront.

A Final Check Before You Post

Read your ad aloud. Would you apply for this job? Does it answer the questions a thoughtful clinician would ask? If you’re unsure, ask a colleague in the same role type to review it.

Writing a good mental health job ad isn’t about selling your organisation. It’s about respecting the candidate enough to tell them the truth — and letting them decide if it’s the right fit.

Ready to post a role that attracts the right people? List your job on Supportive and reach mental health professionals across Australia who are actively looking for their next move. Or browse current roles to see how other employers are writing their ads.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia. (2024). *State of the labour market for health professionals*. Read report
• National Mental Health Commission. (2023). *Workforce strategy for mental health*. Read strategy
• AHPRA. (2024). *Registration standards for health practitioners*. View standards