How to write inclusive job descriptions

I see many companies strongly promoting their commitment to diversity in their job descriptions. They use words like “belonging,” “inclusion,” and “justice.” Because they want to make it clear to candidates that DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) is indeed a priority for their company.

And I believe them. Because diverse teams are stronger teams. Numerous studies show again and again that diversity leads to more innovation and success. For example, according to McKinsey, diverse teams offer a 35% increase in financial returns compared to less diverse companies.

Even if they don’t believe in the business case for DEI, job seekers do. In fact, a Glassdoor report found that nearly 70% of job seekers view job diversity as a key factor in hiring opportunities at new companies, which accounts for an incredibly large percentage of the workforce.

But just saying that diversity and inclusion is important to you in your job description does nothing to mitigate the widespread, underlying barriers that disproportionately benefit those from privileged backgrounds and ward off those from underrepresented communities.

As a Hispanic woman who grew up in a working-class town and was raised by an immigrant mother, I had no idea that employers would consider me if I didn’t meet the minimum years of experience listed in the job description. I have family members who never got a college degree because they couldn’t afford it, who are too nervous to apply for jobs who mindlessly list a bachelor’s degree as a requirement even if it doesn’t affect their ability has to do the job.

These obstacles are so ingrained in our understanding of job descriptions that when I ask people why they chose to include certain requirements in their job descriptions, I often get the answer, “Oh, I just thought that’s how you spell a Job description.”

So for anyone who is genuinely interested in diversifying their pipeline but doesn’t understand why you might be struggling to find a more diverse group of candidates to fill your open positions – even if you’ve been vocal about your commitment to DEI – here’s how.

Remove minimum experience and education requirements

Although I now know enough to tell my family, “It’s not an automatic disfellowship; apply anyway.” I also know that there are many others like me who are the first in their family to join the company and have no one to tell them.

Delete the word “requirement” entirely

Most “Requirements” are really just an overly optimistic collection of “Wish List” items. As someone who has recruited for many, many positions, I can say with complete confidence that the decision-making discussion is always an exercise in determining which of our wish-list items we are willing to let go (or train) and which skill sets make up for the missing ones skills off.

No candidate has everything you are looking for. And if they do, any worthy recruiter will tell you that they are overqualified for the job and will beat the company’s offer in terms of career development. So instead of using headings like “requirements,” opt for headings like “what makes a good candidate” and “what you will do” to ensure you don’t inadvertently scare off perfectly qualified candidates.

If you don’t think this is a real risk, you can check out a LinkedIn study that shows women typically only apply to jobs where they meet all of the listed criteria, while men apply even if they only do Meet 60% of these requirements.

Be transparent when paying

Salary differences are real. They exist because of bias (whether conscious or unconscious) and because people who haven’t grown up with mentors who could ask them for fair and competitive market prices don’t know when they’re getting a bad offer. As someone whose mom never made more than $35,000 a year her entire life, I know firsthand what it feels like to get a bad offer, and I think, “That must be a lot. I’d better not negotiate or they’ll think I’m greedy.”

Companies that share salary information in their job descriptions are sending a clear message about their understanding of the systemic bias that accompanies a lack of salary transparency and their commitment to changing this trend.

Stop using exclusive or biased language

Think of: sports terms, company language, or words that abuse cultural language (e.g. guru). Not only is this intimidating for people who don’t understand these terms, it’s also off-putting and a clear signal that your team didn’t have a diverse audience’s perspective in mind when writing the job description.

Do the little things (they’re actually really big)

Add a field to your online application so people can share how they pronounce their name or reveal their preferred pronouns – this simple update is a win-win.

No prior knowledge is required for entry-level positions. Not everyone has access to these experiences, especially when the only internships available to them have been unpaid. If you need some experience, provide examples of a variety of experiences that qualify: Many candidates don’t realize that things like retail experience or school clubs count.

Tell your candidates you’re ready to learn on the job. Tell them to apply even if they are nervous about the qualification. Trust me, knowing that you actively care about them and want them to be successful can mean the difference between someone who is too nervous to apply and someone who has the courage to apply to submit. (That worked for me.)

If you want to diversify your pool of applicants, you can’t just say that you care about diversity; They must indeed demonstrate a clear understanding of the systemic challenges that disenfranchise candidates from marginalized communities and take corrective action from their very first interaction with you as an employer.

At Ethena, we say to candidates: “Excited about the opportunity but worried you don’t meet all the requirements? Apply anyway and give us both a chance to find out.” Because isn’t that what the process is supposed to be about?

Melanie Naranjo is Head of People at ethena.