Why are job descriptions important?

Posted by & filed under Job Descriptions.

Having the best employees in your organization boosts your brand and profits. And attracting these talented folks starts with well-written job descriptions.  Need to know more? Here are 5 reasons why complete (and up-to-date) JDs are important:  1. You’ll hire the right people for your company  Job descriptions are important because they list the critical competencies you… Read more »

30+ Co.s Saying “No” to Remote Jobs in Colorado

Posted by & filed under Hiring.

A bunch of employers like Lime Bike, Nike, Johnson & Johnson, Twitter, Oracle & others are facing a twitterstorm over using “except in Colorado” language in their job postings. For example, here’s Lime’s job posting language being called out in a tweet: The reason? Colorado’s new Equal Pay Act requires companies to list salary and… Read more »

A List of 100+ Business Abbreviations & Acronyms

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As a business, your communication style affects your brand. Take business abbreviations — there are hundreds, maybe even thousands. Some obvious. Others less so. Below is a list of common 200 business abbreviations and acronyms with tips on when to abbreviate…or not. When to use business abbreviations? When using business acronyms and abbreviations, think about… Read more »

7 Examples of Well Written Job Descriptions [With Tips!]

Posted by & filed under Writing Job Descriptions.

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 »

3 Types of Job Description Software (and Why Each Matters)

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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… Read more »

5 Reasons to Use a Text Analyzer for All Your Job Descriptions

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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]

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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 »

7 Tips on How to Write the Most “Readable” Job Descriptions

Posted by & filed under Writing Job Descriptions.

You’ve heard me talk about “readability” in job descriptions recently. It’s vital. I now think of readability as one of the 3 main levers for writing a more effective job description (the other 2 are gender-neutrality and positive sentiment). The more readable your job descriptions, the higher the apply rates (we’ve measured this with machine learning)…. Read more »

Top 15 Problems TA Pros Have with Job Descriptions

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I wrote recently about The Top 10 Problems TA Leaders Tell Me About. Job Descriptions was the #1 category. Note: Check out our free Job Descriptions Guide — it tells you everything we know about JDs, job ads and the like! And, for more tips on writing job descriptions, check out How to Write a Job Description — Best Practices… Read more »

Why I Write my Job Postings at the 8th Grade Reading Level (or Lower!)

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The goal of a job posting is simple. It’s to capture the right candidate’s attention with truthful content to help them decide whether to apply. Note: Check out our free Job Descriptions Guide — it tells you everything we know about writing job descriptions! What if I told you I could improve the effectiveness of your… Read more »

5 Free Tools to Write Better Job Descriptions

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If you need to write better job descriptions, there are a few great free tools to use. If a free tool isn’t getting you what you need for writing job descriptions, check out Ongig’s Text Analyzer. For more tips on writing job descriptions, check out How to Write a Job Description — Best Practices & Examples. 1. Hemingway App… Read more »

5 Easy Ways to Have More Consistent Job Descriptions

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Are your job descriptions consistent? If not, you risk confusing candidates and causing more work for your hiring managers and recruiters. Consistent job descriptions can also cut time-to-fill — specifically, the time it takes to get from req to candidate screenings (which can easily take 3+ weeks). For tips on writing job descriptions, check out… Read more »

The 8 Key Stakeholders in a Job Description Rewriting Project

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A head of Talent Acquisition asked me the other day:  “Who are the key stakeholders that need to be involved when rewriting job descriptions?” Here’s a quick-and-dirty list that might help you: 1)The Head of TA The head of TA should typically oversee this. If you’re lucky enough to have a head of recruitment marketing… Read more »

3 Common Formatting Mistakes to Avoid On Your Job Descriptions

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Formatting is a top priority in job description writing because formatting affects readability which impacts the candidate experience. Making a job description easier to read exponentially increases the probability of a job seeker reading the entire job description — and that increases the chance of an apply. Note: Check out our free Job Descriptions Guide — it… Read more »

7 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Job Description

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Words matter…especially in job descriptions. Update: Since writing this article, our team here at Ongig launched a new version of our Text Analyzer software for writing job descriptions. For more tips on writing job descriptions, check out How to Write a Job Description — Best Practices & Examples.  Here are 7 mistakes to avoid when writing YOUR job description: 1)… Read more »