Rewriting a job advert so more people can apply

Your job advert is the first stage of your hiring process, and for some candidates it is the last. A capable person reads a long list of requirements, decides they do not meet half of them, and moves on. You never find out they were there.

Rewriting an advert costs nothing, and the changes help every candidate, not only neurodivergent ones. Here is where we start when we review one with an employer.

Separate what the job needs from what would be nice

Go through each requirement and ask whether someone could do the job well without it. If they could, move it to a short list of things that would help, or take it out. A long list of essentials tells candidates the bar is higher than it is.

Take out the traits that are not the job

Excellent communication skills. A team player. Thrives under pressure. A self-starter. Phrases like these describe a personality, not the work, and they leave candidates to guess what you mean. Say what the work involves instead: writing clear reports, answering customer emails, presenting to the team once a month.

Describe the work week to week

Candidates want to know what they will actually be doing. How much of the day is spent with people, and how much alone? Is the work planned in advance, or does it change hour to hour? Is it in an office, at home, or both? Concrete detail helps people decide whether the role suits how they work, which is what you want too.

Say how the process works

Tell people what happens after they apply: what the stages are, what each one involves, and when they can expect to hear back. Say that adjustments are available at every stage, and give the name of a person to ask about them. A candidate who knows what is coming can prepare for the job, not for the unknown.

Keep the language plain

Short sentences. One idea per paragraph. Headings that say what follows. No jargon, and no internal job titles that only make sense inside your organisation. Plain language makes an advert easier for everyone to read, including people using a screen reader or reading in a second language.

Check the format

An advert on a web page is easier to read, zoom and listen to than a scanned document. If you ask for a CV and a covering letter, check that you need both. If you use an application form, make sure it can be saved and finished later.

Before and after

Here is one requirement, rewritten.

Before: Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

After: You will answer customer questions by email and phone, and keep our order system up to date as you go. The work is steady, with a busy few days at the end of each month.

If you would like a second pair of eyes on an advert, send us a message and we will go through it with you.