Your job descriptions are accidentally excluding great candidates. Not because you're discriminatory—because you're using industry-standard language that research shows discourages certain groups from applying.
Words like "rockstar" and "aggressive" reduce applications from women by 40%. Requirements like "Bachelor's degree required" exclude talented candidates who learned through other paths. "Must be able to lift 50 lbs" might be illegal if it's not essential.
This guide shows you how to write job descriptions that attract the widest possible talent pool—without watering down your requirements or lowering your bar.
Why Inclusion Matters
Inclusive job descriptions aren't just "nice to have"—they directly impact your applicant pool size and quality.
More applicants with inclusive language
Fewer women apply to "aggressive" roles
Diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones
What the Research Shows
LinkedIn (2024)
Job posts with gender-neutral language receive 42% more applications from women.
Harvard Business Review (2023)
Each gendered word in a job post decreases female applicants by 5%.
Textio Study (2023)
Removing "Bachelor's degree required" increases applicant pool by 30% with no drop in quality.
McKinsey (2022)
Diverse teams are 35% more likely to outperform less diverse peers.
The bottom line:
Inclusive language = bigger talent pool = better hires. It's not ideology—it's math.
Gendered Language to Avoid
Certain words are coded "masculine" or "feminine" and discourage candidates from applying. Here's what to change:
Masculine-Coded Words (Discourage Women)
| Avoid | Use Instead | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rockstar | Experienced | Vague + gendered |
| Aggressive | Proactive, driven | Masculine trait |
| Ninja | Skilled, expert | Gendered + cringe |
| Dominant | Leading, primary | Masculine trait |
| Competitive | Results-oriented | Gendered context |
| Fearless | Confident, bold | Masculine trait |
| Guru | Specialist, expert | Gendered + vague |
Feminine-Coded Words (Can Discourage Men)
| Avoid | Use Instead | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Nurturing | Supportive, mentoring | Feminine trait |
| Collaborative | Team-oriented | Context dependent |
| Empathetic | User-focused | Feminine trait |
Pro Tip
Use tools like Textio or Gender Decoder to scan your job posts for gendered language automatically.
EasyApply Flags Exclusionary Language
Our AI scans your job posts for gendered language, unnecessary requirements, and accessibility issues. Post inclusive jobs automatically.
Try It Free →Requirements That Exclude
Some "standard" requirements accidentally (or illegally) exclude qualified candidates. Here's what to reconsider:
Education Requirements
✗ Excludes
"Bachelor's degree required"
✓ Includes
"Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience"
Why: Talented self-taught developers, bootcamp grads, and career changers often lack degrees. If the role doesn't legally require one, don't ask for it.
Years of Experience
✗ Excludes
"10+ years of experience required"
✓ Includes
"Experience leading cross-functional product launches"
Why: Years don't measure skill. Someone with 5 intense years might outperform someone with 10 mediocre ones. Focus on what they've done, not how long.
Physical Requirements
✗ Excludes
"Must be able to lift 50 lbs"
✓ Includes
"Occasionally lift packages (accommodation available)"
Why: If the requirement is essential, state it—but offer accommodations. If it's not essential, don't list it. (ADA compliance issue.)
Availability Requirements
✗ Excludes
"Must be available 24/7"
✓ Includes
"On-call rotation once per month"
Why: "24/7" scares off parents, caregivers, and people with boundaries. Be specific about what you actually need.
Location Requirements
✗ Excludes
"Must live within 10 miles of office"
✓ Includes
"Hybrid: in office Tues/Thurs"
Why: Commute radius excludes people willing to relocate or with longer commutes. State the actual requirement (e.g., "in office 2 days/week").
Culture Fit Language
✗ Excludes
"Must fit our startup culture"
✓ Includes
"Comfortable with fast-paced environment"
Why: "Culture fit" is code for "people like us." Be specific about what you actually need (e.g., comfort with ambiguity, fast iteration).
Accessibility Considerations
Make your job posts accessible to candidates with disabilities. It's the law—and it expands your talent pool.
Accessibility Checklist
Ableist Language to Avoid
✗ Avoid
- "See the big picture"
- "Walk me through..."
- "Hear from customers"
- "Stand out"
- "Hit the ground running"
✓ Use Instead
- "Understand the strategy"
- "Explain..."
- "Gather customer feedback"
- "Excel"
- "Get started quickly"
Job Posting Optimization Guide
Inclusive language is one piece. Learn how to optimize every element of your job posts for maximum applicants.
Read the Complete Guide →Inclusive Benefits to Highlight
The benefits you highlight signal who's welcome. Here's what inclusive companies emphasize:
👨👩👧👦 Parental Support
- • Parental leave (not just "maternity leave")
- • Childcare stipend or backup care
- • Flexible hours for school pickup
- • Return-to-work programs
🏥 Healthcare Inclusion
- • Gender-affirming care coverage
- • Mental health support
- • Fertility treatment coverage
- • Adoption assistance
⏰ Flexibility
- • Remote/hybrid options
- • Flexible hours (core hours only)
- • Unlimited PTO (that's actually used)
- • Sabbatical programs
📚 Growth & Development
- • Learning stipend (not just conferences)
- • Mentorship programs
- • Career development plans
- • Internal mobility support
🌍 DEI Commitment
- • ERGs (Employee Resource Groups)
- • DEI training (required, not optional)
- • Pay equity audits
- • Diverse interview panels
♿ Accessibility
- • Accessible office/equipment
- • Assistive technology budget
- • Ergonomic workspace setup
- • Quiet/sensory-friendly spaces
Don't just list benefits—explain them
Example: Instead of "Unlimited PTO," say "Unlimited PTO (team average is 20 days/year + we require 2 weeks minimum)"
Before & After Examples
Example 1: Software Engineer
✗ Before (Exclusionary)
Rockstar Engineer
We're looking for an aggressive self-starter who can hit the ground running. Must have a CS degree from a top university and 10+ years of experience.
You'll be working in a fast-paced, competitive environment. No hand-holding here!
Requirements:
- Bachelor's in CS required
- 10+ years experience
- Expert in React, Node, Python, Go, Rust
- Must fit our startup culture
- Available 24/7 for emergencies
✓ After (Inclusive)
Senior Software Engineer (Remote)
We're looking for an experienced engineer to join our product team. You'll build features that impact millions of users while mentoring junior developers.
Our team values collaboration and work-life balance. We're distributed across 3 time zones and meet async-first.
What you'll need:
- Experience building production web applications
- Strong JavaScript (React preferred)
- Comfortable owning features end-to-end
Bonus points for:
- Backend experience (Node, Python, or Go)
- Previous startup experience
On-call rotation: 1 week per quarter. We provide reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities.
Example 2: Marketing Manager
✗ Before (Exclusionary)
Marketing Ninja
Seeking a fearless growth hacker to dominate our market. Must be a native English speaker with an MBA from a top 10 school.
Requirements:
- MBA required
- 15+ years experience
- Native English speaker
- Must live within 20 miles of office
- Work hard, play hard mentality
✓ After (Inclusive)
Marketing Manager (Hybrid - Boston)
We're hiring a marketing leader to scale our B2B SaaS growth. You'll own our content strategy, SEO, and demand generation programs.
What you'll need:
- Experience leading B2B marketing programs
- Strong written communication in English
- Data-driven approach to growth
- In office Tuesday/Thursday (Boston)
Bonus points for:
- SaaS or tech marketing experience
- SEO/content marketing expertise
Salary: $90K-$120K + equity. Parental leave, flexible hours, and learning budget included.
Inclusive Job Post Checklist
Before You Post:
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