The Inclusive Hiring Digest - The Job Advertising Edition

Happy 2023 and welcome to the fifth edition of The Inclusive Hiring Digest, dedicated to Inclusive Job Advertising.

Job adverts are often old job descriptions posted online which will be littered with de-selection points

Length and structure are the foundations to an inclusive advert

Aim for 500 to 750 words and only include the critical must-have skills and experience required. Whilst it's tempting to add the entire wishlist of criteria to your advert to hit the top of the search listings, here are a few good reasons not to.

• Research from LinkedIn's Gender Insights Report based on LinkedIn data and analysis of billions of interactions between professionals, companies, and recruiters confirms that women are 16% less likely apply for a role after viewing it and overall apply for 20% fewer roles. Research shows that in order to apply for a job, women feel they need to meet 100% of the criteria , while men usually apply after meeting about 60%.
• Although there's less research available, it's likely that the same applies to Neurodivergent candidates given the prevalence of 'Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria.'

Your structure should be clear and succinct and make it as easy as possible for the reader to digest the information - especially if they are skim reading.

• Job Title
• Salary range
• Accessibility statement
• Overview of the business, including company purpose and authentic commitment to inclusion
• Summary of the role
• Experience/skills required
• Interview process

Gendered words, impersonal and uninclusive language and corporate jargon are all commonplace in job advertising and can result in a much smaller talent pool which lacks diversity

Language & Content used will be fundamental to attracting a non-homongenous range of applicants

Aim for Gender-neutral language and meaningful content, always imagining how your content may land with candidates from under-represented backgrounds.

Gendered words. Examples of masculine words; Strong, Lead, Determined, Driven, Competitive, Expert, and Assertive. Used alone, one or two words might not deter an applicant but combined with other elements, such as the imagery you use, an overall more masculine culture could be portrayed.

• Example: We need a Determined and Driven Leader with Strong business development skills.
• Gender-neutral alternative: You're a motivated individual with leadership experience and demonstrable business development skills

Impersonal Phrases: Examples; They will, The role, This company.

• Example: The role involves working as part of the insights department
• Alternative: Our opportunity involves working as part of our insights team.
• Example: The right candidate possesses a passion for numbers, and they will have a track record of managing teams.
• Alternative: You possess a passion for numbers, and you will have a track record of inspiring teams.

Discriminatory phrases: Examples; The candidate must have 10 years of experience in programme management. Whilst it's still commonplace to stipulate years of experience, its unadvisable for the following reasons

• Great candidates will de-select themselves
• Specific years of experience are not the strongest indicator of job performance
• In the worst-case scenario, this approach could be considered age discriminatory

Jargon and Idioms: Examples; Self-Starter, Rock Star, Team-Player, Think outside the box, Blue Sky thinker, Dynamic, Proactive, Entrepreneurial mindset. Whilst these words or phrases might not seem out of place in a job advert, they could be confusing, intimidating or both. In most cases, they are open to interpretation and therefore lack real meaning and value.

• Example: We're looking for someone dynamic and proactive who is a real team-player
• Alternative: Get rid of jargon in favour of plain language. If you're looking for a candidate who will align with your company values, then say what is needed to align with them.

Non-Inclusive Phrases: Examples; Hit-the-ground running, Fast-Paced, We're a family, Global Leader, Work Hard, Play Hard. These are probably the most popular and overused phrases in job advertising; here are a few reasons to stop using them.

• The job ad says, "We need someone who can hit the ground running."
• The candidate reads, "You'll be dropped in at the deep end with little support."
• The job ad says, "We're a family."
• The candidate reads, "You need to look like us to work here OR lack of personal boundaries."
• The job ad says "fast-paced environment."
• The candidate reads "long hours. OR burnout culture."
• The job ad says, "We're a global leader in"
• The candidate reads, "elitist OR you're not good enough to work here."
• The job ad says, "We're a work hard, play hard culture."
• The candidate reads, "you'll only fit in if you work long hours and join in on all the boozy socials."

Referring to yourselves as an "Equal Opportunities Employer" in tiny small print at the end of the job advert sounds tokenistic. Candidates are looking for transparency and genuine commitment

Show your COMMITMENT to equity, diversity and inclusion with authenticity

It is no longer enough to have a generic statement at the end of the job advert which can read as an afterthought to candidates who care about ED&I.

Do

• Talk about ED&I at the beginning of the job advert as part of the company's overall description and purpose
• Create an ED&I statement that is unique to your company
• Be transparent and authentic. It's ok to admit that you're on a journey, not perfect, but still improving or learning every day. People love honesty over shiny, glittery statements that don't lead to reality
• Get specific and mention actual actions the company is taking to drive inclusion and improve representation

Don't

• Wait until the end of the job advert to talk about any aspect of ED&I
• Make any claims or statements that you cannot back up

Most job adverts are inadvertently and unconsciously written for able-bodied, neurotypical, straight, cis-gendered and privileged white male candidates.

Accessibility is key

When creating your job advert, it's essential to remember that the playing field is not level, and candidates can experience disadvantages for a multitude of reasons, including but not limited to:

• Physical disability
• Hidden Disability
• Caring responsibilities
• Mental Health
• Physical Health
• Menopause OR Menstruation
• Access to funds and resources
• Neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia etc.)

Include the following statement at the beginning of your job adverts

If you require any adjustments or additional support during the recruitment process for any reason whatsoever, please let me know at [email protected]

Remember that 36% of candidates aren't comfortable asking for adjustments for fear of discrimination, so you will need to remind them at various points throughout the recruitment process that adjustments and support are available.

Would you expect someone to put an offer on a house without knowing the asking price? Surely not, yet this scenario happens daily in recruitment.

Think about salary transparency

Ideally, you would always include a salary range in EVERY job advert. This will give candidates the confidence to apply and know they will be treated fairly.

However, in reality, many recruiters and employers are restricted from posting salary ranges, usually for reasons of internal confidentiality.

Therefore, if you're unable to post the salary or salary range, here's an alternative that will help promote inclusion and fairness.

Add the following statement to your job advert.

"Although we are unable to publish the salary range on this job advert, as part of our commitment to inclusive and equitable recruitment, we commit to never asking you for your current salary information or salary history as part of this recruitment process. In addition, we will share with you the salary range, in confidence, prior to the interview."