How to think about job descriptions

What is a job description?

A Job Description, more commonly referred to as a JD, is a formal document that lists a prospective employee's roles and responsibilities, the nature of the job at hand, the values of the organization and the skills and experience that is required for a prospective employee to do their job well.

Why do words matter?

Let's take a look at this 2018 HBR article :

"Similarly, people are more likely to use standout adjectives , such as “superb,” “outstanding,” “remarkable,” and “exceptional” to describe male than female job applicants. In recommending female job applicants, people not only used fewer superlatives but also used less specificity. Research has also found that, in other evaluative domains, like teacher evaluations, men are more often described as “brilliant ” and “genius,” and called out for their ideas, while women tend to be acknowledged for their kind demeanor and execution."

Subconscious bias and gendered wording in job descriptions can act as a deterrent, be discriminatory and not have women applying to specific jobs. The biases may be implicit, but studies have shown that women will be hesitant to apply for such jobs.

According to?research ?by LinkedIn, women apply to 20% fewer jobs than men and are less likely to apply unless they meet 100% of the job description criteria.

Men on the other hand, will apply for a job, if they meet 60 % of the criteria.

How to write an inclusive job description for men, women, non-binary and trans folx and people with disabilities

1) List the skills you need at your organization, but also reflect on company culture in the JD.

2) Be realistic- talk about the must-haves and not the good to haves.

3) Explicitly state that there is some room for flexibility.

4) Describe your work environment and include the day-to-day on your JDs.

5) Emphasize on the fact that certain skills can be learnt on the job.

6) Encourage returning mothers or caregivers for terminally ill parents to return to work. Remove the stigma and shame surrounding career breaks.

7) Talk about benefits and compensation in detail. Be transparent from the get-go. My personal opinion is to be transparent about the salary band as well.

8) Studies have shown that certain words that discourage people to apply. Avoid using words like "ninja, rockstar, guru" (might potentially dissuade women from applying), avoid using words such able-bodied (people with disabilities may think twice before applying for jobs they might well be qualified for), instead of saying things like native English speaker or native Spanish speaker, emphasize the need for clear-cut communication.

I have been thinking of job descriptions a lot these days, so this is a developing piece and I will keep sharing my thoughts over the coming months.