Your biggest hiring bottleneck might be hiding in plain sight, not in your applicant tracking system or interview process, but in your company’s shared drive.
That’s where the “Lazy JD” lives.
We’re not talking about lazy people. We’re talking about lazy documents—job descriptions that haven’t been updated in years, live in dusty folders, and have been copied and pasted so many times they practically have a family tree.
In a short episode of The JD Fix podcast, host Heather Fenty called out this silent productivity killer and offered a simple 3-step plan to help you clean up the chaos. Whether you’re part of a Fortune 500 or a small nonprofit, this is a universal issue—and thankfully, one that’s totally fixable.
Here’s how to rescue your job descriptions from the digital swamp.
The Root Problem: Copy/Paste Syndrome
Picture this: You have 100+ job descriptions saved in a Google Drive or SharePoint folder. A hiring manager grabs one, makes a few edits in Word, and emails it back. A recruiter tweaks it again. And suddenly, three slightly different versions of the same JD are floating around.
One says the role reports to the VP of Finance (who left in 2021), another lists responsibilities that haven’t been relevant for years, and a third has been stripped of formatting and tone altogether. According to People Matters, copying job descriptions can result in a lack of differentiation, misalignment with the actual role, and missed opportunities to showcase company culture.
This is what Heather calls Copy/Paste Syndrome—and it’s more common than you think. When job descriptions get duplicated and edited without a system in place, minor inconsistencies snowball into serious problems:
- Confused recruiters
- Misaligned expectations with hiring managers
- Inaccurate or outdated info reaching candidates
- Candidates ghosting after realizing the job doesn’t match expectations
- Hiring managers are losing trust in HR materials
And that’s not just inefficient—it’s risky for your brand, compliance, and hiring outcomes. It creates friction at every hiring process step, from sourcing to onboarding. And in today’s competitive talent market, you simply can’t afford that inconsistency.
When job descriptions lack clarity, candidates are more likely to disengage or self-select out of the process. Recruiters may miss out on great talent because the JD doesn’t reflect the actual needs of the role. And hiring teams waste valuable time clarifying basic expectations that should have been defined from the start.
And the data backs this up. According to a survey by Indeed, 42% of employers said they had to revise a job description after posting it because they received too many unqualified candidates. Another 25% said they had to revise it because none of the candidates were qualified. Nearly 7 in 10 employers need to revisit their JDs mid-process—clear evidence that outdated or unclear job descriptions can derail hiring before it even begins.
Why It Happens: JD Chaos Behind the Scenes
You might think, “How did we let it get this bad?” But this isn’t about blame. It’s a symptom of how fast-paced and reactive hiring has become.
Here’s why JD chaos is so common:
- No single source of truth — JDs are scattered across folders, email threads, and desktops.
- No ownership — Everyone thinks someone else is responsible.
- No update triggers — JDs sit untouched for years until someone urgently needs one.
- There are too many cooks — Recruiters, hiring managers, and HR all make edits, often without coordination.
Let’s face it: In most organizations, job descriptions are an afterthought. They’re rarely given the same attention as employer branding or candidate experience, even though they influence both.
What makes things worse is the sense of false confidence. People assume, “Well, we’ve used this JD before, so it must be fine.” But those small inaccuracies—like outdated tools, old team structures, or irrelevant requirements—chip away at trust and relevance.
As Heather puts it: “This isn’t a you problem. It’s an everyone problem.” From startups to global enterprises, disorganized JD libraries come up in nearly every job description conversation she has.
Luckily, there’s a smarter way forward—and it doesn’t involve a six-month overhaul.
Your JD Rehab Plan: A 3-Step Fix
You don’t need to revamp your entire JD library overnight. That’s the fastest path to burnout. Instead, Heather suggests starting small with this 3-step JD rehab plan.
✅ Step 1: Pick Your Top 10
Start with a simple question: Which job descriptions matter most right now?
Ask your recruiters: “Which JDs do you keep reusing?” Focus on the top 10 high-volume, hard-to-fill, or high-impact roles. These are the ones that:
- Get posted frequently
- Has the biggest influence on candidate experience
- Often serve as templates for other roles
Fixing these first will give you the biggest ROI. It’s a strategic move—prioritize quality over quantity.
Pro Tip: Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for progress. You’re not rewriting everything—just the JDs that move the needle.
You can even track metrics like time-to-fill or candidate satisfaction before and after updates to measure the impact of your improvements.
Also, consider building a small task force or “JD refresh squad” consisting of recruiters and HRBPs to own this first phase of updates. When cross-functional partners are involved, the process becomes more collaborative and sustainable.
✅ Step 2: Centralize and Use Naming Conventions
Once you’ve picked your Top 10, choose a single source of truth for storing them. This could be:
- A dedicated Google Drive folder
- Your applicant tracking system (ATS)
- A purpose-built JD platform like Ongig
The key is that everyone knows where to find the correct version, every time.
Then, use a clear naming convention so it’s obvious what’s current:
- JD_MarketingManager_V3_2025-05
- JD_CustomerSuccessLead_V1_2024-12
Create an “Archived” folder for outdated versions and lock it down so no one accidentally grabs the wrong file. This will add a layer of control and auditability to your hiring process.
Bonus Tip: Give approved editors read-only access to your “final” versions so they can make changes.
Also, consider assigning JD ownership—like a JD librarian or designated HR team member—to maintain version control and facilitate updates.
When job descriptions are centralized and clearly labeled, onboarding new recruiters or TA partners becomes easier. This builds trust across teams and reduces friction in cross-functional hiring collaborations.
✅ Step 3: Create a JD Update Trigger
Next, build JD maintenance into your regular HR or business cycles. This could be:
- Annually, during performance review season
- Whenever there’s a team restructure or role change
- After a hiring manager fills the role and gives feedback
You can make this easy using a Google Form or a checklist that hiring managers fill out. Ask questions like:
- What are the top 3 responsibilities of this role today?
- What tools, software, or certifications are now required?
- Who does this role report to?
This lightweight step helps HR and TA teams stay aligned with business needs. It also encourages hiring managers to take ownership of role clarity.
Heather also recommends checking out Kat Kibben’s list of JD discovery questions below to help hiring managers reflect on what’s needed:
- “Can you walk me through a typical day in this role?”
This question helps to understand the daily responsibilities and tasks, providing a realistic view of the position. - “What specific skills and behaviors do top performers in this role exhibit?”
Identifying these traits can guide the creation of a job description that attracts candidates with similar qualities.
- “Reflecting on your last successful hire, what was their background, and how did it prepare them for this role?”
This insight can highlight practical experiences and qualifications that have proven effective in the past.
- “What challenges might someone in this position face?”
Understanding potential obstacles can help in setting realistic expectations and preparing candidates accordingly. - “How does this role contribute to the company’s overall goals?”
This question connects the position to the broader mission, emphasizing its importance within the organization.
Don’t underestimate how much smoother collaboration becomes once hiring managers know their input will be used meaningfully.
If your company is scaling quickly, consider embedding JD updates into new headcount requests or requisition approval workflows. That way, JD quality becomes a natural part of your growth process.
The Payoff: What Good JD Hygiene Looks Like
So what happens when you follow these three steps?
Everything gets easier.
- Recruiters save time because they’re not hunting for the correct file or rewriting from scratch.
- Hiring managers trust the JD they’re reviewing—and stop making unnecessary edits.
- Candidates are better aligned with the role because the description actually reflects reality.
- Your employer brand stays consistent, professional, and inclusive.
- Legal and compliance risks drop because outdated or discriminatory language is removed.
- Your TA team operates more efficiently with fewer last-minute JD scrambles.
Your JD library becomes a strategic asset, not a liability. It becomes a living, evolving resource that supports hiring speed, quality, and clarity.
Clean job descriptions are also easier to optimize for DEI, skills-first hiring, and remote work realities, which can lead to better talent attraction and retention.
That’s it. No more ghostly JDs from 2018. No more confusing file versions. No more copy/paste chaos.
As Heather closes the podcast, saying
”Your JDs don’t need to be a haunted house of old text. Just take three steps: Pick 10. Centralize. Review annually. Small moves = Big impact.”
Why I wrote this
If you’re ready to take things to the next level—with automation, version control, templates, and structured workflows—platforms like Ongig are built just for that. They help you build a JD management system that scales, so you never have to lose track of a job description again. Contact us to schedule a demo.
