15 Common Mistakes Found In Job Descriptions

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When scrolling through job advertisements it’s often easy to get a feeling that they are all the same. This happens because job descriptions are generic and usually bland.

Top talent aren’t attracted by this. They are looking for something exceptional and worthy of their skills to grab their attention. Unfortunately, most job descriptions look like they were written in a template. To attract the best candidates, you need to avoid these common mistakes.

Key Takeaways:

• Avoid using confusing or trendy job titles and stick to using regular titles that describe the position.

• Stick to using neutral language because gender-biased language can scare away candidates.

• Don’t use company specific terms or big technical words because it can make even the most qualified candidate feel incompetent.

15 Common Mistakes Found in Job Descriptions

1. Setting a confusing job title. With more and more young people entering the job market – especially in the most popular industries – companies have started using confusing but trendy-looking titles.

   You have probably seen them everywhere. ‘Data Ninja’, ‘Growth Hacker’, ‘Rockstar Copywriter’ and so on are some of the most common job titles today.

   In addition to being meaningless, they are also confusing to the candidates. Use regular titles that describe their future position.

2. Using gender-biased language. Certain words can come off as too masculine or too feminine. In either case, it’s not good. You might scare away excellent candidates this way.

   Instead of making this mistake, focus on using a neutral language. Avoid words like strong, competition, dominant, fight etc. – these lead women to think that they are not well-suited for the job when they actually might be more qualified than any male contender.

   You can also scare away men from traditionally female-oriented occupations with words like nurturing, caring and so on.

3. Using third person language. Using third person language is common in job advertisements yet it’s a huge mistake. It puts distance between your company and the potential candidates. It doesn’t feel personal or friendly but rather cold and too formal.

   It’s best to stick to first and second person with plenty of ‘you’ and ‘we’ in both the job description and the job advertisement.

4. The job description is too long. Even though job descriptions should be detailed and specific, job descriptions shouldn’t be too long.

   You don’t have much time to impress your candidates. Create a compelling job description with enough information but keep it concise. No Fluff is necessary, just facts and important data.

   Candidates want to see if the job is worthy of their attention and you need to help them find the necessary information as quickly as possible.

5. The job description is too short. Job descriptions can be too short as well. This simply means that you didn’t include enough detail. The best candidates don’t appreciate a lack of information. One or two sentences is not enough to encompass everything that they need to know.

   Even a paragraph is not enough. Instead of making your job description too short by cutting out the details, try to make it concise.

   “Being concise and being too brief is not the same. Concise means not adding unnecessary detail but being too brief can cost you a lot of left out information”, – says Alex Park, a recruiter at Writemyx.

6. Including negative words. Writing a job ad or a job description is, in essence, copywriting. Copywriting comes with certain rules. One of them is not to use negative words. These words are not just those that come across as negative at first, but also those words which have an underlying meaning – one’s that can ben interpreted as you telling your candidates what to do.

   Some examples are ‘must’, ‘never’, ‘always’, ‘strict’, ‘can’t’ and so on. Instead, try words that don’t feel absolute or like you are giving orders.

7. Being vague. Another thing you can’t afford to do in job descriptions or job advertisements is being vague. You don’t have much space and you have to use that space wisely. Say everything that needs to be said about the position without leaving important details out.

   Candidates are drawn to detailed job descriptions. They want to see exactly what they are applying to – they don’t want to guess.

8. Posting the ad in the wrong place. A high quality job advertisement will do nothing for you if you post it on the wrong platform. Research your audience and see where the best candidates gather to seek employment. Don’t post on a site where you can mostly find writers if you are looking for a web designer.

9. Not making it readable or accurate. You don’t have much time to engage potential candidates. If your ad or job description isn’t readable, they will bounce quickly. Format it so it has a lot of bullet points, short paragraphs and plenty of white space. Avoid making spelling and grammar mistakes as well – these only deteriorate your public image.

10. Too much jargon. You may think that using jargon is acceptable since you are trying to attract professionals. However, every professional is a bit insecure and big technical words and abbreviations can scare them, make them feel incompetent.

    Use regular, simple words instead, for a better response.

11. Not mentioning your company by name. It may seem like a good idea to craft a job description which solely focuses on the candidates but you should also add some information about your company. Include benefits about at your company and describe how you value your employees.

12. No salary information. While this is not always required, most candidates do expect to see at least a wage range in your job description / advertisement. This gives them a bit more insight into what kind of a company you are and helps them figure out if you are a good match for their desired salary.

    If your candidates can’t see a salary, they would probably rather apply for other jobs which are more transparent about remuneration. Even though this may not be important for you, it’s extremely important to your candidates.

13. No unique voice. Just like your branding should be consistent across various media platforms, so should your job advertisements. The candidates will probably read the job description to see if it matches their skill but also to find out more about you.

    Use your brand voice to communicate your employer brand. Present a happy, driven community and your values. Introduce them to your world.

14. Missing details. If you notice high turnover around a single position, re-read your job description to see if accurate information is included. Maybe you left out an important detail about the job or a responsibility that candidates don’t know about or the description is misleading in a way you may not have realized.

    This can seriously change the perception of the job that the candidates have and cause all the wrong candidates to apply.

15. Having unrealistic expectations. You can’t necessarily expect to get a candidate with 15 years’ experience in web development but a young energy and a great design sense. This can scare away the right candidates. Instead of doing this, prioritize your requirements and highlight only the most important responsibilities related to the job.

Job Description FAQ

1. What should you avoid putting in a job description?

   You should avoid putting in any confusing or vague job titles. When someone is looking for a job, they don’t want to have to search or guess at what the job is. Make sure the job title, as well as the job description is clear.

2. What is the most common mistake in a job description?

   The most common mistake to make in a job description is making it too short. Without proper information on what the job is and any requirements, potential candidates will skip over it to find something that will answer their questions. Try to make your job description concise.

3. What should you include in your job description?

   When writing a job description you should include the title and summary, who your company is, the roles and responsibilities, and what their benefits would be. Make sure that you are including enough information that it will answer any questions a candidate may have while making it concise. Avoid adding any fluff and just stick to the facts.

4. What can a poorly written job description lead to?

   A poorly written job description can lead to unqualified candidate applying. Having a vague job description can lead to candidates applying for the job even if they are unqualified. Without any qualifications, anyone can think the job is right for them.

   Another thing that can happen with a poorly written job description can be a lack of applications submitted. If there is not enough information present, candidates may skip over it because they are unsure if they are qualified or they may not think it is a real job description and it’s a scam.

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.