Job Description Optimiser

An effective job description does two things well: it clearly communicates the role and its requirements, and it sells the opportunity to the right candidate. That means concrete responsibilities, a realistic requirements list, honest information about compensation and working arrangements, and enough context about the team and company to help someone picture themselves in the role. Vague or generic descriptions attract a high volume of poorly matched applicants and put off strong candidates who have other options.

Research consistently shows that gendered or exclusionary language reduces the diversity of your applicant pool. Certain words and phrases signal cultural fit in ways that discourage qualified candidates from applying before they even read the role requirements. Using neutral, welcoming language broadens your reach, improves representation at the top of the funnel, and signals that your company takes culture seriously. It is one of the lowest-effort, highest-impact changes you can make to a job posting.

Yes. Job postings that include a salary range consistently outperform those that do not, both in application volume and in quality of candidates. Candidates who know the range upfront self-select more accurately, which means fewer wasted conversations for both sides. Transparency around pay also signals respect for the candidate's time and is increasingly expected, particularly for roles attracting experienced professionals who have their own market rate expectations. In several regions it is now a legal requirement.

Most effective job descriptions sit between 400 and 700 words. Short enough to be read in full, long enough to cover the role, requirements, company context, and practical details. Descriptions under 300 words tend to feel vague and uncommitted. Descriptions over 900 words often include excessive requirements or internal jargon that discourages applicants. If yours is running long, start by auditing the requirements section and remove anything that is not genuinely necessary for the role.

A must-have is a requirement without which someone cannot do the job. A nice-to-have is something that would help them ramp up faster or add extra value, but which can be learned or compensated for in other ways. Mixing the two into a single requirements list causes strong candidates to disqualify themselves unnecessarily. Separating them clearly tells candidates which bars they truly need to meet and gives you more flexibility to hire for potential rather than just credentials.