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.