If you want to attract the most talented people, include these 7 things in your job description

If you have ever been to a recruiting conference, odds are you‘ve seen purple squirrels everywhere. On shirts, hats, or swag, the purple squirrel has come to be a mascot of those in recruiting and talent acquisition.

In recruiter talk, it’s that magical perfect candidate: One who is exceptionally skilled, perfectly suited, and nearly impossible to find. Despite all the training, HR products, and AI-hiring solutions, managers still look for purple squirrel candidates or, even worse, a flying unicorn! Here is an example of a hiring manager’s job description:

“We’re on the hunt for a senior software engineer who’s not just a coder but a game-changer. You’ll be working directly with our founding team to shape our product and create an exceptional user experience. If you’re a tech wizard with a passion for innovation and a commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace, you might just be the purple unicorn we’re looking for. You have 10 years of coding experience, and five years of DEIB experience, and are bilingual in Brazilian Portuguese. This is an 80% travel job and the other 20% must be in the office. Salary $100,000.”

Another way we describe this is organizations looking for a Tiffany-quality diamond at a Target price.

As you can tell, these candidates are extremely rare and some would argue do not exist at all. But that is not the biggest issue. Entertaining these requests is actually harming your employer brand as well as the hiring process. Here are some real key features of inclusive job descriptions.

Prioritize key skills

Instead of searching for a “purple squirrel,” identify the key competencies and experiences necessary for the job. This approach broadens your candidate pool and allows you to find strong candidates who can grow into the role with interesting backgrounds.

An example job description could be:

“Strong proficiency in a range of NLP/ML techniques, esp. prompt engineering and fine-tuning LLMs in Python with common libraries and frameworks (e.g., Hugging Face, PyTorch, SageMaker).”

Potential over perfection

When I started as a recruiter, the thought was to hire people for whom your job would be the next step in their career. With current tech, we seem to hire people who aren’t growing into the role but are already doing a similar role. Let’s go back to finding candidates who show potential. Make a plan for investing in training for your team. You can build tomorrow’s workforce and build better employee engagement.

A sample job description would be:

“If you are just learning about demand generation, or have skills in marketing analytics, campaign management, or team leadership, that means you have potential to develop expertise as a Marketing Manager. We are seeking a highly motivated individual with a proven track record of success as a lead marketing professional to transition into a challenging new role! We’re excited to support your growth and development in this role, and provide opportunities for you to learn and expand your skills as a Marketing Manager.”

This approach emphasizes skills-based hiring and highlights the potential for candidates to grow and develop in the role rather than requiring a specific combination of skills and experiences.

Use growth-mindset language

A growth mindset is the belief that abilities can be developed and improved through effort, learning, and persistence, rather than being fixed traits. Using growth-mindset language in job descriptions can attract a wider range of candidates and demonstrate company values. Emphasize a “collaboration culture” in the “About Us” section to show the company’s commitment to teamwork. Include discussions of innovation and problem-solving in the “Our Mission” section to appeal to candidates who value these qualities. For example:

“The ideal candidate will be able to identify and solve problems with the help of internal partners and critical-thinking skills.”

Prioritize accessibility

Use language that is inclusive and encourages a diverse range of candidates to apply. Avoid jargon and overly specific requirements that might deter otherwise qualified applicants. Clear, straightforward language in a job description helps attract a broader, more diverse applicant pool. For example:

“Textio seriously embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.”

Highlight values

Emphasize your commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in your job postings. Putting a focus on your company’s principles, values, and inclusive practices can attract candidates who personally align with those same values. For example:

“Our organization seriously embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.”

Clear and realistic requirements

Focus on the essential skills and experiences needed for the job, and indicate a willingness to train the right candidate. For example:

“We are seeking a senior software engineer to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will have experience in Groovy/Grails, Java, or Ruby. While 5+ years of experience is preferred, we are open to candidates with strong foundational skills eager to grow and learn with us.”

Encouraging statements

Include language that welcomes applications from diverse backgrounds and those who may not meet every single requirement but have the potential to grow into the role. For example:

“We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply, even if you don’t meet every requirement. If you’re passionate about innovation and committed to fostering an inclusive workplace, we’d love to hear from you.”