What's wrong with the typical JD

The average corporate JD is a sandwich of legalese, "Roles & Responsibilities" wishlist, and a 17-bullet "Must Have" list. Studies show that long requirement lists disproportionately discourage qualified women and underrepresented candidates from applying.

The four-section template

  1. The role in 2 sentences. What they'll own. What success looks like in 12 months.
  2. The first 90 days. Specific deliverables. Concrete enough that the candidate can self-assess fit.
  3. What we need. 3–5 must-haves. If a bullet has "or equivalent" you don't need it.
  4. What we offer. Compensation, benefits, stack, team size. Specific numbers.

Cut these phrases

  • "Rockstar" / "ninja" / "guru", research shows these reduce female applicants by 25%
  • "5+ years experience", say 5, not 5+. The "+" filters out candidates with 4 years who would qualify.
  • "Excellent communication skills", meaningless. Replace with "writes weekly customer updates" or whatever the actual task is.

Optimal length

400–600 words. Anything longer and application rates drop sharply. Anything shorter and you'll pull unqualified applicants.