You’ve heard me talk about “readability” in job descriptions recently. It’s vital. Readable job descriptions have higher apply rates. We’ve measured the success of different job description strategies with machine learning. We found that readability is one of the three most important qualities a job description can have. The other two are gender-neutrality and overall… Read more »
Posts by Rob Kelly
14 Best SEO Tips for Writing Job Descriptions (2024)
When you write a job description, you are not just writing it for the candidate, you are also writing it for Google, Bing, Indeed, and any other search engine out there. That’s why you need the right SEO tips to make sure your JDs get seen. Writing for search engines is one of the key… Read more »
5 Things to Look for in a Gender Neutral Writing Tool (2024 Update)
Despite the hard work of activists and women in every industry, gender bias remains in the hiring process. Many hiring professionals are aware of more common forms of gender bias, like pregnancy-related discrimination. Less well-known is biased language in job descriptions. But biased language in job descriptions, like job descriptions that favor masculine-coded words and… Read more »
Using Multiple ATS’s Doesn’t Have to Hurt Your Candidate Experience
If you’re using multiple applicant tracking systems, it likely hurts your pre-apply candidate experience for your company career site. It might force candidates down a path before they even know which path is right for them. For example, I know one major financial company who has 12 applicant tracking systems across 12 countries. I know… Read more »
15 Examples of an Awesome “About Us” Statement
An About Us statement is a critical piece in a job posting or website. Like any content on your job pages, it’s an opportunity to sell and attract the candidate! After reviewing thousands of About Us statements through our Text Analyzer job description software, I want to share a few things in this article: What… Read more »
14 Examples of Unconscious Bias in Job Descriptions (2024 Update)
The examples of unconscious bias in job descriptions are rampant. There is plenty of research confirming hiring biases: AARP noted that older adults received job offers at a rate that is 68% lower than younger candidates Across all age groups, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that persons with a disability were much less… Read more »
10 Free Fixes to Remove Gender Bias from your Job Postings in 2024
If you want to attract more female candidates, a good place to start is to eliminate your job description gender bias. Job description gender bias is the easiest lever for you to pull to hire more women. The 80/20 Rule is in effect here. Well, almost. You can remove about 70% of job description gender… Read more »
The 6 Key Steps for Job Description Management Software (2024 Update)
You need an automated system for job description management to post and fill jobs faster. Here are the key steps I recommend for your effective job description management: 1) Job Description Library If you’re reading this, I’ll assume your current job description management process is not cutting it. Let’s start from the beginning… You’re going… Read more »
25+ Examples of Helpful Diversity Statements [2024 Update]
How good is your diversity statement? I asked my team to send me some of the best examples of diversity statements they could find. They reviewed the Fortune 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity list and also Googled “Most Diverse Companies.” They gave me a list of 30 diversity statements they found. I whittled that down… Read more »
Creating an Effective EEO Statement: 16 Helpful Samples
The purpose of an EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) statement is to comply with EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) law but there’s also a marketing aspect to it. The words in your EEO statement (which often appear in all your job postings) are also words that a candidate will measure you by. That’s why I ran every EEO statement… Read more »
10 Examples of Awesome Job Descriptions (and Why!) (2024 Update)
Wow, are you are seeing how fast job descriptions are changing these days? Fasten your seat belts as we look at 10 that are awesome — and the reasons why! You can create job descriptions like the ones below through Ongig’s Candidate Experience Software and Text Analyzer. For tips on writing job descriptions, check out How… Read more »
Top 10 Feminine-Biased Words Used in Job Descriptions (2024 Update)
Masculine vs. feminine job descriptions remains a hot topic these days. Last week I shared The Top 10 Masculine Biased Words Used in Job Descriptions. If you’re trying to gender-neutralize your job ads, eliminating those top 10 masculine-biased words is a good start. So, are there loads of feminine-biased words in job ads? Some of you… Read more »
The Top 10 Masculine Biased Words Used in Job Descriptions (2024 Update)
What are the top masculine biased words used in job descriptions? Knowing if you have masculine vs. feminine job descriptions is a hot topic these days. Most companies want to hire more women. This week, I used Ongig’s Text Analyzer software (the tool for gender bias in job descriptions) to find out. I had Text… Read more »
The 1 Word that Most Often Gets Recruiters in Trouble [2022 Update]
The word “lead” seems harmless enough, right? I use it all the time. But, lead is a “masculine-themed” word, according to a study of job ads by the University of Waterloo and Duke University (Danielle Gaucher, Justin Friesen, Aaron C. Kay). What do they mean by a “masculine” word? The study opens with this key finding: “When job advertisements… Read more »
12 Ways to Get a SaaS Discount [from me, a software CEO]
Do you need a discount on SaaS software? Some salespeople are going to hate me for what I’m about to share. But I don’t sell to them. I sell to (hopefully) you. Here it is: Almost every SaaS salesperson will give you some discount if you know how to ask. I’ve been selling enterprise SaaS for… Read more »