Tripartite Guidelines
Refer to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices to ensure that you abide by the guidelines on all the relevant practices.
Writing Job Advertisements (For Employers)
How to craft fair job advertisements that attract the right talent to your organisation.
What Is a Fair Job Advertisement
Fair job advertisements do not discriminate against applicants based on age, gender, race, religion, marital status and family responsibilities or disability.
Why It Matters
Writing fair job requirements in job advertisements can help you:
- Increase your chances of getting the right candidates.
- Stand out against competing employers by exhibiting your knowledge of progressive practices.
What You Must Do to Be Fair
When stating the selection criteria in job advertisements, ensure that they are related to the qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience of the candidates. Don't use words or phrases that can come across as discriminatory.
The Tripartite Guidelines state what you must do as a fair employer to ensure your job advertisements are not discriminatory.
Age
- In general, avoid using age as a selection criterion unless you are bound by legal or regulatory requirements. In such cases, you may state this upfront. You may also state that a job is suitable for older workers, in support of national efforts to enhance employment opportunities for older workers.
- If the nature of the job is physically demanding, such as in the handling of heavy cargo, state this requirement in the job description and avoid indicating a specific age group.
For example,
| You can state | You should not state |
|---|---|
|
|
Gender
- Avoid using gender as a selection criterion unless practical requirements are involved. In such cases, you must state the reason clearly.
- State that "both genders may apply" for gender-centric job titles (e.g. draughtsman, chambermaid).
For example,
| You can state | You should not state |
|---|---|
| Health spa requires female therapists to do personal body massage and spa treatments for its female customers. |
|
Race
You should avoid using race as a selection criterion.
For example,
| You can state | You should not state |
|---|---|
| All races are welcome. |
|
Religion
Avoid using religion as a selection criterion unless the job requires the applicant to perform religious functions or fulfil religious certification standards. In such cases, you must present the requirements clearly, objectively and sensitively.
For example,
| You can state | You should not state |
|---|---|
| Hindu priest required to perform wedding ceremony. |
|
Language
- If you require proficiency in a particular language, clearly state the reason for it.
- Ensure that your job advertisement is in the same language as your advertisement media. If your job has any other language text, you should provide the reasons for it, which must be job-related.
For example,
| You can state | You should not state |
|---|---|
|
|
Nationality
Avoid using nationality as a selection criterion. In particular, words or phrases that indicate a preference for non-Singaporeans should not be used.
For example,
| You can state | You should not state |
|---|---|
| Only Singaporeans |
|
Marital Status and Family Responsibilities
Avoid using marital status or family responsibilities as a selection criterion.
How to Be Progressive
The Tripartite Guidelines include not just fair job advertisements, but also fair job application forms and fair job interviews. Such an overarching policy will guide the actions of line managers and supervisors in the entire recruitment process. If you meet all of the guidelines, you can adopt the Tripartite Standard on Recruitment Practices to distinguish your organisation
.For more information on these practices:
- Download the Fair Recruitment & Selection Handbook (PDF).
- Browse our resource collection to get tips, tools and ideas and learn from case studies and interviews with progressive employers.
Tripartite Standards
If you already have fair and progressive employment practices, you can adopt the Tripartite Standards, an initiative to recognise organisations with good practices.