Decoding job vacancy texts

Do the texts in job vacancies impact whether men or women apply? An article in The Guardian argues that recent advertisements for headteacher posts show clear textual biases, so-called gendered language. An example is the wording in a current ad which looks for applicants with “relentless drive, energy and ambition”.

A former headteacher, Vivienne Porritt, found there was significant “gendered language” in ads she has been analysing. “She believes words such as “driven” and “ambitious” – especially when repeated within a three or four-paragraph job advert – are a turn-off for women seeking to apply for senior roles.”

The New York Times published an article on research of 50 million job ads which found that phrasing of job ads was very much still gender-driven.

If you’re phrasing a job advertisement, you might want to use the decoder to check whether your text overly emphasises male or female requirements.

Bildquellen: TotalJobs