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Job descriptions

According to the, 鈥渋t is illegal for an employer to publish a job advertisement that shows a preference for or discourages someone from applying for a job because of his or her race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.鈥� This section of the ACS Inclusivity Style Guide will help you recognize biased language in typical job ads and write more inclusive announcements for your open positions.

Choose gender-neutral language

Background:

Job descriptions that use gendered language suggest that some people are not suitable for the job based solely on their gender identity. Gendered language in the workplace. Gendered language in job descriptions can inadvertently turn away qualified job seekers from applying or even considering applying for the job. Therefore, gender-inclusive language should be used in job descriptions and titles to ensure that everyone, regardless of their gender identity, can apply for and, if qualified, get the job. There are also certain words that and applicants because those words appeal more to men.

Recommendation:

Instead of using the pronouns 鈥渉e/she鈥� or 鈥渉im/her鈥� in job descriptions, use gender-neutral language like 鈥渢he applicant,鈥� 鈥渢he candidate,鈥� or when describing the role responsibilities. Similarly, when advertising job titles, avoid the use of gendered titles such as 鈥渃hairman鈥� or 鈥渃ouncilman鈥�; use instead 鈥渃hair,鈥� 鈥渃hairperson,鈥� or 鈥渃ouncil member.鈥� that gendered wording associated with stereotypes in job descriptions can sustain gender inequality. The use of words associated with male stereotypes, like 鈥渓eader,鈥� 鈥渃ompetitive,鈥� or 鈥渄ominant,鈥� impacted women鈥檚 perceptions of the job, making the jobs less appealing. A tool that can help you find language that might exclude certain candidates because of their gender identity is Kat Matfield鈥檚 , which is based on the aforementioned by Danielle Gaucher, Justin Friesen, and Aaron C. Kay.听

Examples:

Use:

Their job responsibilities include

Avoid:

His or her job responsibilities include

Use:

Applicants will promote and teach search-engine optimization to the staff.

Avoid:

A successful applicant will champion search-engine optimization to the staff. (鈥淐hampioning鈥� might appeal more to men.)

Avoid biased or coded language

Background:

Like gendered language, biased or coded language can also inadvertently exclude qualified job seekers from applying for a position because of their race, age, disability status, and other characteristics. Some phrases are seen as codes for seeking people with a certain personal background beyond the skills needed for a job. For example, people may view 鈥渄igital native鈥� as code for 鈥測ounger person,鈥� and 鈥渞ecent college graduates鈥� can discourage older applicants from applying. Similarly, can unintentionally exclude people with disabilities from applying. For example, job descriptions that mention the applicant 鈥渕ust be able to lift 15 pounds,鈥� when the job itself is in an office and does not require heavy lifting as part of the day-to-day job activities, can exclude people with certain physical disabilities. Also, job descriptions that require written and spoken ability in a particular language, when not core to the role, may exclude people whose primary language is sign language or a language other than the one requested.

Recommendation:

Avoid terms that, , race, disability, or another characteristic. See from the University of Massachusetts for suggestions about how to describe requirements in ways that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Also see 鈥淎geist language and stereotypes.鈥� Consider whether a particular skill set is truly critical to succeeding in the role before adding it to the role description.

Example:

Use:

We are looking for people familiar with word-processing software like Microsoft Word.

Avoid:

We are looking for digital natives.

Use plain, concise language to describe the role鈥檚 duties and responsibilities

Background:

Many job descriptions use convoluted words or technical jargon. A role description that is mostly can , including candidates with varying levels of fluency in English.

Recommendation:

To ensure the use of plain language, substitute shorter words for longer ones and avoid redundant information.

Examples:

Use:

Responsible

Avoid:

Primarily responsible

Use:

Intelligent

Avoid:

Highly intelligent

Use:

Because

Avoid:

Because of the fact that

Be specific and literal

Background:

Being specific and literal applies to both the role title and the description. Often, a title is too vague for an applicant to quickly determine whether the role is a suitable fit. For example, 鈥淗uman Resources Strategic Planning Manager鈥� is clearer than 鈥淢anager.鈥� And explicitly stating expectations or desired skill sets rather than implying them ensures that your description is clear. Additionally, the use of phrases like 鈥渨ill be expected to juggle tasks鈥� can be misinterpreted by not only neurodivergent candidates, such as those, but also some people who have learned English as an additional language.

Recommendation:

For external audiences, use a straightforward, specific, and sufficiently descriptive job title. Seek outside feedback from someone unfamiliar with the role. And try to avoid the use of any phrases that could be misinterpreted. Use action verbs that describe a mental or physical action that is specific and appropriate to the workplace.

Example:

Use:

Must be able to balance and prioritize multiple ongoing projects

Avoid:

Must be able to juggle multiple projects

Resources on inclusive job descriptions

  • Brenoff, Ann. AARP, June 12, 2019.
  • DellaBartolomea, Melissa. InclusionHub, Nov. 11, 2020.
  • Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion. Sept. 2020.
  • Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion. .鈥� Sept. 2020.
  • Gaucher, Danielle, Justin Friesen, and Aaron C. Kay. .鈥� J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 101, no. 1 (2011): 109鈥�128. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022530.
  • Huppert, Maxwell. .鈥� LinkedIn, April 9, 2018.
  • Kurter, Heidi Lynne. Forbes, Jan. 20, 2021.
  • LinkedIn. 听. 2019.
  • Matfield, Kat. .
  • Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. . March 9, 2022.
  • Plain Language Action and Information Network. 听(PDF). 2011.
  • University of Massachusetts.
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