Creating Non-Gendered Talent Requirements

Please stop telling your recruitment partners that "it'd be great if you could find a woman for the team". ❌ Instead, start doing the following... ✅ Evaluate your sales culture. If it's feels like a "boys club", it is. Fix it. ✅ Analyse the language you are using. Gendered wording of job advertisements signals who belongs and who does not. "Masculine- worded ads reduced perceived belongingness [among women], which in turn lead to less job appeal, regardless of one’s perception of their personal skill to perform that job." - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, January 2011 - (🔗 Link in comments.) ✅ Provide workplace flexibility A 2023 study conducted by the University of Oxford’s Well-being Research Centre found that when it comes to fostering a positive working environment, reducing stress, and boosting employee resilience, flexibility is one of the most effective elements required to create a healthy work-life balance. The findings correlate with a separate study which found that post-pandemic, 72% of women are prioritising purpose and balance at work, and are looking for the flexibility that facilitates this. (🔗 Link in comments.) ✅ Build an infrastructure and culture of coaching and support. The opportunity to be coached by other women (both internal and external) goes a long way in not only developing existing staff members, but also in attracting new talent. (Bonus point: ensure your interview processes are as gender diverse as possible. You can't be what you can't see.) ✅ Implement gender-neutral and diversity-inclusive policies. Offer gender-neutral parental leave policies to prevent issues like absence visibility, project loss, and early return pressure. In my experience, the Nordics lead the way in gender-equitable parental leave policies, for example. ✅ Address any existing gender pay gaps. It's 2024... This shouldn't even have to be a point. I'm a recruitment & search professional. I'm not a DE&I specialist. But I really hope one day the conversation changes from "it'd be great if you could find us a woman" to "we have awesome diversity in our team because...". Women in sales & those of you in gender diverse businesses - what else would you add? LP ✌️ Pack GTM | SaaS Sales Recruitment in Germany #sales #hiring #careers #startups #recruitment 

Are your job descriptions unintentionally turning away diverse talent? 🤔 In many organizations today, a recurring issue persists despite the company’s commitment to diversity: job postings aren’t attracting a diverse pool of candidates. While the leadership may be determined to ensure the company’s workforce reflects the diverse audience they aim to serve, hidden barriers within their hiring process may be unintentionally hindering progress. 🚩 🚩 Here is a list of phrases that should not appear in your job descriptions: 1️⃣ Rockstar” or “Ninja These terms can come across as masculine-coded or overly aggressive, potentially alienating women, nonbinary individuals, or those from cultures where such language is not common. 2️⃣ Native English Speaker This phrase can exclude candidates who are fluent in English but do not consider it their first language. Instead, use “proficient in English” if language skills are essential. 3️⃣ Must have X years of experience Rigid experience requirements can deter highly capable candidates with transferable skills but fewer formal years in the field. Focus on competencies instead. 4️⃣ Work hard, play hard This phrase might suggest a high-pressure, workaholic culture, which can alienate candidates seeking work-life balance, caregivers, or those prioritizing mental health. 5️⃣ MBA required or similar academic credentials Requiring advanced degrees when they aren’t truly necessary can exclude candidates with nontraditional educational paths or valuable real-world experience. 6️⃣ Fast-paced environment While common, this phrase can feel overwhelming or exclusionary to candidates with disabilities or those seeking more structured roles. Be specific about the nature of the work instead. 7️⃣ Culture fit This vague term can perpetuate unconscious bias and favoritism. Use “aligned with our values” or “culture add” to highlight the importance of diverse perspectives. 8️⃣ Strong verbal and written communication skills While valid in some roles, this phrase might dissuade neurodivergent candidates or those for whom English isn’t their first language if not clarified. Specify what kind of communication skills are truly needed. ✍️ By replacing these terms with inclusive, skill-focused language, organizations can craft job descriptions that not only attract a broader and more diverse pool of talented candidates but also align more closely with the diverse customer base they aim to serve. #InclusiveRecruitment #DiverseTalent #HRInnovation #InclusiveWorkplace #AttractTopTalent ________________________________ 👋 Hi! I am Luiza Dreasher, DEI+ Strategist and Facilitator. Looking to create meaningful change within your organization? I can help you implement successful and long-lasting DEI strategies that foster inclusion, attract diverse talent, and drive innovation. Let’s connect to explore how we can achieve your goals together!

As we get ready for our LinkedIn feeds to be filled with posts, images, pledges, photographs, and anecdotes where people rise above their situations to #InspireInclusion, pause... ...to reflect deeply and conscientiously. While creating social media campaigns and investing in PR presence may be easy, people now seek more than just glossy creatives! They talk to your employees, read reviews about your company, and observe how you support your employees during challenging times. So, prioritize actions and tangible changes over superficial campaigns. If you are genuinely committed to creating an equitable world, here are some meaningful steps to take throughout the year: 1. Ensure job descriptions are inclusive. Use gender neutral language & remove excessively long lists of preferred qualifications. Research shows that individuals from marginalized or minority communities often only apply when they meet all requirements. 2. Strive for #payequity across your organization. True equity is achieved when every individual, regardless of gender, is compensated fairly. Implement objective, fair, and just performance management and pay practices. (Pro tip: Use and analyse data for various identities to identify & close the gap) 3. During the appraisal/review cycle, avoid giving individuals subjective feedback on their personality based on gender. 4. Promote fairly! Do not create different operating spectrums for different genders. Change the narrative and recognize deserving candidates. (Pro tip: Ensure the presence of a DEI Lead/Practitioner in all calibrations to address bias if and when they arise) 5. Avoid using gender-specific terms like "Super Women" to describe capabilities. Euphemisms are not compliments. Instead, support individuals by lessening their societal pressures and sharing the workload. Avoid assigning tasks or responsibilities based solely on gender assumptions, as this perpetuates bias, stereotypes, and demotivates individuals. Focus on individual strengths and abilities. 6. Instead of praising individuals for breaking glass ceilings or systemic barriers, actively work to dismantle gender barriers & systemic biases through intentional and focused efforts. Understand the role you play as a leader and take responsibility for creating an equitable system. 7. Foster more opportunities for women & women-identifying in the workplace by eliminating gender-specific roles & look for ways to #investinwomen (btw, that is the UN theme for IWD this year). 8. Finally, broaden the definition of women and include those who do not necessarily identify as cisgender straight women! Companies that commit to these practices consistently throughout the year won't have to rely on #InternationalWomensDay themes to create social media content. They will organically create outcome & impact through positive changes. #InternationalWomensDay will come and go, but true change requires action beyond a single day. So, off to work I go! 😊 #walkthetalk

Your hiring managers are accidentally filtering out top talent. Here's the job description framework that fixed it: 🎯 Most hiring managers write job descriptions that unintentionally screen out exceptional candidates. The problem? They focus on tasks instead of impact, and requirements instead of potential. Here's a proven framework to create job posts that attract top talent: 1) The Impact-First Approach 🎯 Start with the role's purpose and impact, not a task list: - "You'll drive our customer satisfaction from 85% to 95%" - "You'll lead initiatives that cut processing time by 30%" - "You'll shape our product strategy for 100,000+ users" 2) The Skills-Reality Check ⚖️ List only truly mandatory requirements (hint: it's fewer than you think) - Separate "must-haves" from "nice-to-haves" - Focus on demonstrable skills over years of experience - Remove gender-coded language using AI tools 3) The Culture Add Section 🌱 Instead of culture "fit," describe: - How your team works together - What success looks like in your environment - Real growth opportunities - Authentic challenges they'll help solve 4) The Candidate Experience Touch 🤝 - Include salary range (yes, really!) - Outline the interview process - Highlight unique benefits - Add team testimonials Pro tip: Use Recooty's AI Job Description Generator to create balanced, inclusive job posts that attract diverse talent while maintaining your company's voice. The results? - 40% increase in qualified applicants - More diverse candidate pool - Better response rates from passive candidates - Faster time-to-fill Remember: A great job description is your first opportunity to sell your role to dream candidates. Don't waste it on a boring list of requirements. What's the most effective change you've made to your job descriptions? Share below! 👇 #RecruitmentTips #HiringStrategy #TalentAcquisition #JobDescriptions #Recruiting