A job post is more than an employer’s advertisement for a job opening. It’s an opportunity for your company to communicate important messages that can help you develop a more diverse workforce, as well as attract the most qualified candidates. 


If you’re trying to improve diversity in your workplace, by attracting more women, it’s important that your company form its messages carefully.

In a recent LinkedIn Gender Insights Report behavioral data showed that women apply to 20% fewer jobs than men. So what your job posting says and how you say it is essential for gender-balanced hiring practices. 

Here are three proven steps that will help you make sure your job posts are more inclusive and encourage women to apply. 

1. Make the language in your job posts more gender-neutral

Using stereotypically masculine words or phrases can discourage women from applying for jobs. According to a study by ZipRecruiter, job listings with gender-neutral wording get 42% more responses.

So instead of male-bias words such as “dominate”, “rock star” and “Chairman” choose words like “exceptional”, “go-getter” and “Chairperson”. 

Not sure how your job posting measures up?  Try the free Gender Decoder online tool and give your job post a test drive to see whether it’s predominantly masculine or feminine. 

2. Focus on the must-haves

A study in the Harvard Business Review shows that women hold back on applying for jobs not because they have a mistaken perception about their abilities, but a mistaken perception about the “must-haves” vs. “nice-to-haves” requirements.  

So make sure that the listed qualifications are truly must-haves. Also, keep in mind that women have historically had fewer opportunities to take on senior roles. So does a candidate really need 10 years of experience? An advanced degree? Previous seniority in an organization? 

Re-work the job posting as a list of performance objectives the new hire will be expected to achieve on a quarterly, semi-annual or yearly basis instead of a list of skills and qualifications. 

3. Commitment to salary transparency 

Studies show that including salary and benefits information is more important to women than men. Sharing salary ranges may also signal to women that your company adheres to pay transparency and fairness practices. 

And be sure to list benefits – especially those that are attractive to women including work-from-home options if you offer them.

Getting the language and content right is critical to improving your workplace diversity and productivity. Taking these 3 simple steps will convert your job posting from a mere advertisement to an invitation for women to come to explore what you have to offer. 

Would you like some help finding the right people? Contact us. We’re here to help. MassHire Cape & Islands Career Center 508-771-JOBS (5627)