Improve job descriptions and reduce bias

The problem

You've written a job description but you're too close to it to see the problems. Is the language gendered? Are you asking for unnecessary qualifications? Does it appeal to a narrow demographic? Are you accidentally excluding good candidates with rigid requirements? You need fresh eyes that can spot bias you can't see.

The solution

Use Claude or ChatGPT to critique your job description from multiple angles. Ask it to spot gendered language, challenge unnecessary requirements, identify accessibility barriers, flag jargon that excludes, and question your assumptions. The AI acts as your critical reviewer, highlighting what you're too embedded to notice. You revise based on its challenges, not accept its rewrite.

What you get

A detailed critique of your job description covering: gendered or exclusionary language found, requirements that might be unnecessary ('5 years experience' - why?), accessibility issues (unnecessarily long, complex language), missing elements (flexibility, development, why someone would want this role), and specific suggestions for making it more inclusive. You improve your JD based on this feedback.

Before you start

• A draft job description you've written
• Willingness to have your assumptions challenged
• A Claude or ChatGPT account
• Understanding of your actual role requirements (vs nice-to-haves)
• IMPORTANT: Ensure no personal data is included in the text you paste - remove names of current employees, previous applicants, or any identifiable information

When to use this

• You're recruiting and want to reduce bias in your job descriptions
• You suspect your JDs might be putting off good candidates
• You want to improve diversity in your applicant pool
• You've written a JD and need someone to challenge your assumptions

When not to use this

• You haven't written a first draft yet - write it first, then critique
• You're not willing to reconsider requirements the AI challenges
• You want the AI to write the JD for you (this is about critique, not delegation)
• The role has statutory requirements that can't be changed (e.g., DBS check necessity, specific trustee legal obligations, safeguarding requirements) - AI should not override these

Steps

1. 1

   Write your first draft

   Write the job description yourself first. Don't use AI to write it - you know the role, the team, what matters. Get it to a state where you think it's reasonable. That's what you'll ask the AI to critique.

2. 2

   Ask for gendered language check

   Paste your JD into Claude or ChatGPT. Ask: 'Check this job description for gendered language. Flag words that research shows appeal more to men (competitive, ninja, rockstar) or women (collaborative, support). Suggest neutral alternatives that appeal to everyone.' Review what it finds - you probably didn't notice these.

3. 3

   Challenge your requirements

   Ask: 'Challenge each requirement in this JD. For every qualification, ask: is this actually necessary or just nice-to-have? Could someone learn this on the job? Am I excluding good candidates by requiring a degree/5 years experience/specific tool knowledge? Be specific about which requirements might be unnecessary barriers.'

4. 4

   Check for accessibility

   Ask: 'Review this JD for accessibility barriers. Is the language too complex? Is it unnecessarily long? Does it assume specific ways of working that exclude people with disabilities or caring responsibilities? What flexibility is missing?' You might be inadvertently excluding people.

5. 5

   Identify missing elements

   Ask: 'What's missing from this JD? Does it explain why someone would want this role? Does it mention development opportunities? Is there anything about flexibility, team culture, or impact? What would make this more appealing to diverse candidates?' Good candidates want to know more than just duties.

6. 6

   Spot jargon and assumptions

   Ask: 'What jargon or sector-specific terms might confuse someone from outside the charity sector? What assumptions am I making about candidates' backgrounds? How could this be clearer for career-changers or people from different sectors?' You want good people, not just charity veterans.

7. 7

   Get specific improvement suggestions

   Ask: 'Based on all these issues, give me specific rewrites for the most problematic sections.' Look at its suggestions but don't just copy them. Use its critique to improve your JD in your voice, maintaining what matters about the role while removing unnecessary barriers.

8. 8

   Review and refine

   Take the AI's challenges seriously but use your judgement. Some requirements really are essential. Some suggestions might not fit your organisation. The point is to see your blind spots and improve the JD, not to follow AI suggestions blindly. Your revised JD should be yours, just better.

Tools

Resources