Write Better Job Postings by Removing One Word
If you want to get more and better applicants for the positions you are posting online, I’m going to share with you one word that you need to eliminate from your job postings today.
That word is “opportunity.”
Before we go any further, I’m NOT talking about eliminating the phrase “equal opportunity employer.” You should keep that. But everywhere else in your job posting, get rid of the word “opportunity!”
Here’s Why:
A large percentage of people seeing your job posting are going to be Gen Z and younger Millennials. Believe it or not, the word “opportunity” actually has a negative connotation for members of those generations because they have heard it their whole lives and they have been lied to about it before.
The Word Means There Is a Trade-Off
“Opportunity” for Gen Z often means you can get something you want but only by giving up something that means a lot to you. For example, all of Gen Z and younger Millennials were told, “You have the great opportunity to go to college and get a degree.” And what they’ve learned from the experiences of many older Millennials is that the “opportunity to go to college” all-too-often meant getting a degree will leave you over $100,000 in debt and you’ll struggle financially for the next 10-20 years. In a job posting, the word "opportunity" could be seen as a trade-off between achievement and a healthy work-life balance.
It is Coded Language
Another reason why this word “opportunity” is a problem is it is often interpreted as coded language for “somebody could potentially achieve this benefit but it is pretty difficult and rare.” For example, maybe you have seen job postings that say, “You have the ‘opportunity to work from home’—only to find out that the company only lets employees who have been there a year or longer do that. Or work from home is only for other positions at the company. Suddenly the “opportunity” never really existed in the first place.
Here is another all-too-common example: “You have the ‘opportunity’ to earn 50% of your base salary in bonuses and commissions.” Imagine taking that job and then finding out that you must be in the top 10% of performers to earn anything close to that much. That kind of thing happens frequently enough that using the word can make your posting look like one of those bad multi-level marketing schemes.
It Sounds Vague and Sales-y
The final reason I’ll discuss here for removing the word "opportunity" is because the word is seen by many jobseekers as an indication that they are being sold something. Jobseekers aren’t looking to be “sold” a job. They are looking for the right fit with a company. They want to know what you stand for and how they fit into that. They want to know that YOU care as much about weeding out applicants who don’t fit your company as THEY care about weeding out companies with bad cultures. “Opportunity” is too vague. They want to know what they will be doing everyday and how it fits into your company’s culture.
Use Clear, Action-Based Language Instead
So, what should you replace the word “opportunity” with? The answer is that you need to speak in clear, concrete terms. Use action words. Use real numbers and data whenever possible. Try replacing the phrase “you have an opportunity to…” with “in this job you will…”
For example, if you are posting a front desk agent position the “opportunities” you might list are things like:
· Meeting people from other places
· Making guests happy by providing great service
· Future growth and promotions
Instead of phrasing them as opportunities, say something like, “This job is for someone who likes interacting with people face-to-face and providing remarkable service. You will meet fascinating people from all over the world and introduce them to our city. Nearly half of our front desk agents earn a promotion within their first 18 months at our hotel.”
Use Real Numbers and Data
When you use real numbers and data, you will come across as more trustworthy and honest. Using our example from earlier, let’s say you are posting a sales position and you have an aggressive incentive program. Instead of saying, “you have the ‘opportunity’ to earn 50% of your base salary is bonuses and commissions…” say something like, “The top 10% of our sales team earns 50% of their base salary in bonuses and commissions.” Or, even better, say “On average, the top 10% of our sales team earns $XXXXX in bonuses and commissions.”
Potential applicants who don’t think they can reach the top 10%, or don’t want to work that hard, will self-select out. Now, if you were hiring a salesperson, wouldn’t you want to hire the one with the drive and desire to be the best on your team?
Take a minute to review your current job postings. Look for the word “opportunity” and delete it. Then, take the opportunity to replace that phrase with clear, concrete, motivating, action-oriented language that truly highlights your company’s culture and why the right person would want to work there.
If your job postings aren't getting the traction you want, or you’re looking for help fixing staffing shortages at your hotel or hospitality business, reach out to me at ted@tedyeatts.com. I’d love to help you get more and better staff so you can keep growing your business.
#hotels #hotelmanagement #hotelstaffing #jobpostings #betterhiring
