We’ve had some people ask about the difference between job descriptions, job postings and job ads. It’s a valid question since these terms are often used interchangeably. Here’s some clarity based on the many years my team and I have spent automating our job description software. What is a Job Description? The phrase “job description:… Read more »
I’ve written what I hope you find useful content on job descriptions (see job description articles, job ad articles and our free Job Descriptions Guide. But there are so many awesome articles out there written by others. And I love giving shout-outs where they’re due. Here are my favorite articles on job descriptions, job postings and job ads. 20… Read more »
If you look at the best job descriptions (below) you’ll notice a pattern. Most have: Multi-Column Format — Easier to read. That’s why most magazines and newspapers use them! Good Employer Branding — Consistent color, font and perhaps even corporate messaging (especially helpful if a candidate comes from a job board and hasn’t seen the… Read more »
Are you shopping for job description text analysis software? Some recruiting leaders want this augmented writing tool because of the ROI they enable on hiring quality/diverse applicants (e.g. one client boosted their applicant to phone screen conversion from 5% to 17%; another saw a 4X increase in diversity and inclusion hiring). If you are looking,… Read more »
U.S. Employers paid $240 million in age bias lawsuits since 2000, according to a survey by GoodJobsFirst.org. Note: Most age discrimination lawsuits relate to The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) which forbids age discrimination against people who are age 40 or older. It does not protect workers under the age of 40, although some states… Read more »
In my view, there are 3 major types of job description software now available. And each has its own purpose. Here they are: 1) Candidate Experience Job Description Software Some clients of applicant tracking systems are not satisfied with the ATS job pages. It might be because: The URL shown is that of the ATS… Read more »
The apply rate for job ads is one of the most important recruitment metrics. An average of 11 people who visit your job ad end up applying. 11% convert and the rest of the 89% leave. But I’ve seen the apply rate pop up to 60%+ with the right tweaks (see below). Note: Special thanks to… Read more »
If you’re a customer of the awesome Greenhouse Software ATS, you may be looking for ways to enhance your job pages. Remember what James Ellis of The Talent Cast said about ATS’s: “Applicant tracking systems were never meant to be pretty (external), they were meant to help manage workflows (internal)”. A default, out-of-the-box Greenhouse job page might… Read more »
Women are less likely seen as good candidates if the job mentions a high degree of intellectual ability, according to a new study. In 3 tests, published in the journal American Psychologist, more than 1,150 participants were asked to refer individuals for a job. Half of the participants were told that the job description required… Read more »
Every word in your job ad counts. But your job postings often have complex words or phrases you don’t need — they sound more like legalese than a job advertisement. Replace or cut these complex words/phrases and your job ad’s apply rate can see a major boost. You’ll also often see an increase in good candidates…. Read more »
If you are hiring more than 50 people per year, you can benefit in a big way from using text analysis software for your job descriptions. Let me give you 5 examples: 1) To See How Your Job Descriptions Compare to Peers A good text analyzer compares your job descriptions to the industry on things… Read more »
My head of TA friend Marnie (name changed to protect her identity) told me this before agreeing to do business together: “Rob, I want more pipeline, but the last thing I want are more “crapplications”. By “crapplications”, Marnie meant that she didn’t want crappy (low-quality) applications. Crappy applications are often worse than having no applications at… Read more »
If your job ad doesn’t stand out, neither will you. Here are 5 ideas you might not have thought of. Enjoy. 1. Employer Branding Tab A lot of employers talk about their employer brand. Dutch clothing manufacturer Hunkemöller has actually written it into their job descriptions. Candidates click the middle tab (see below) and get a… Read more »
The examples of unconscious bias in job descriptions are rampant. I’ve included 8 of them below. The bad news: your job postings likely have some bias. The good news: it’s easy to fix. You can eliminate unconscious bias in job descriptions manually (see tips below) or through a solution like Ongig’s Text Analyzer software. What is… Read more »
I love job ads. I just found a study on them that I feel silly for missing. Sorry! It shows that speaking to a candidate’s needs in a job ad gets you 13.6% more applicants than focusing on the skills your job requires. In other words, focusing on THEM beats focusing on YOU. Not only… Read more »
