Poorly written job descriptions share certain things in common. I’ve analyzed (by hand) many thousands of job descriptions and created this checklist of the”worst job description practices” to avoid. 1. Poorly Written Job Descriptions Have Long Job Titles The job title is key. It’s usually the first thing a candidate sees. Job titles with 1… Read more »
Posts about Writing Job Descriptions
Action Verbs for Job Descriptions: The Comprehensive List [2022 Update]
Action verbs are the most effective verbs to use in job descriptions. What is an action verb? It’s a verb that expresses physical or mental action. Examples of action verbs: The CEO motivates his team. The developer writes code. The accountant approves the balance sheet An action verb is distinct from linking verbs (am, are, is, was,… Read more »
7 Examples of Well Written Job Descriptions [With Tips!]
Well written job descriptions aren’t easy to come by. Most JDs are written by busy hiring managers or recruiters. They read more like a legal contract than clean ad copy. Below are 7 tips based on examples of well written job descriptions I found on the web. For more tips on writing job descriptions, check… Read more »
5 Lessons I Learned from Cynet’s “Preferably Caucasian” Job Posting Debacle
When Cynet Systems, an Inc. 5000 company out of Ashburn, Virginia, had its job posting debacle last month, I decided not to write about it. Cynet CEO Nick Budhiraja and his team had reached out to Ongig (we have software that helps avoid such issues). I thought I’d hold off on giving my take on… Read more »
Employer Required to Pay $250K for Poorly Written ADA Job Description
The placement of a single bullet in a University’s job description cost it $250,000 under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Job descriptions, under the ADA, can be the “evidence” that courts use to rule in a lawsuit. This is a cautionary tale for employers, especially those who consider rotating work schedule to be an… Read more »
5 Free Hacks for Writing Effective Job Descriptions
I’d love it if you used Ongig’s Text Analyzer software for writing job descriptions. But it’s not free and I understand we might be beyond your budget. So, in the meantime, here are 5 free “hacks” (tools) for you to write more effective job descriptions. Note: For more tips on writing job descriptions, check out How… Read more »
Why Starting Your Job Postings with “About Us” is Usually a Mistake
Where should your “About Us” section go in a job posting? The start? The middle? The end? If you guessed the start, you’re not alone, but you might be in for a surprise about its effectiveness. An informal survey of job postings on Indeed, Glassdoor and Google for Jobs shows that 53.8% of employers start… Read more »
10 Tips for Recruiting People with Disabilities in Job Descriptions
People with disabilities can, of course, be your most productive workers. But just one word or phrase could make them feel excluded. This bias against people with disabilities is also called ableism. One type/example of ableism in job descriptions is the words we use to describe physical demands. If a candidate has a physical disability,… Read more »
20+ of My Favorite Articles About Writing Job Descriptions [that aren’t mine!]
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 »
New Study Shows Gender Bias Against Women for “Brainy” Jobs
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 »
5 Examples of “Complex Words” That Hurt Your Job Ads
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 »
5 Reasons to Use a Text Analyzer for All Your Job Descriptions
If you are hiring more than 50 people per year, you can benefit in a big way from using Ongig’s Text Analyzer 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 »
A List of Offensive (Exclusionary) Words Used in Job Descriptions [2020 Update]
There are quite a few words and phrases that can crush your job descriptions. Use just one of these phrases and you could lose 50%+ of your candidates. These words are considered “exclusionary” by some and just plain offensive words by others. Exclusionary words in job descriptions are so rampant, that Ongig’s Text Analyzer now flags… Read more »
How Long Should a Job Title Be?
I’m sometimes asked how long a job description title should be. Below are a few opinions from others I trust. Note: This article is part of our ongoing series called Job Titles: The Definitive Guide. 1 to 3 Words Job titles with 1 to 3 words had an apply rate twice as high as those with… Read more »
My Diversity Recruiting Webinar “Sneak Peek”
I’m a white man — so what do I know about diversity? Perhaps not as much as you. But I’ve studied it. Closely. My super-niche Ongig business has one focus: job descriptions. And Ongig has built diversity tools to make your jobs gender-neutral, higher in positive sentiment and more readable. Our software helped 4X the… Read more »
