HOW TO WRITE JOB ADVERTS TO ATTRACT WOMEN IN TECH
According to research by LinkedIn, women typically only apply for jobs when meeting 100% of the criteria, while men do so with just 60%. Male-orientated language, strict requirements and gendered stereotypes can therefore deter women in tech from applying to roles, a scenario that makes it even harder for employers to bring diversity to their tech teams. Crafting gender-neutral ads is key to attracting women in tech and promoting inclusive hiring practices. To dive into this deeper, we gathered industry leaders to discuss strategies and share best practices. Below, we’ve collated the room’s top recommendations for fostering inclusivity and attracting women talent in tech.
TOP RECOMMENDATIONS
1) EXTENSIVE REQUIREMENTS CUT OFF TOP TECH TALENT
Review your job’s essential requirements. Avoid restricting your search with mandatory STEM degrees, extensive years of experience, or skills that candidates could acquire on the job. Don’t exclude talent with unnecessary prerequisites.
2) COMMUNICATE YOUR COMPANY CULTURE
Your job ad is your first impression so make it count. Provide a glimpse into the day-to-day life at your company by sharing your flexible work policies, spotlighting your parental leave, making your benefits visible, mentioning your community networks and role models and talk about how you support different communities.
3) SHOWCASE CAREER PROGRESSION
You won’t retain talent forever, but mapping out progression in the way of opportunity for potential employees makes it clear that your organisation nurtures talent. Highlight how often progress and pay is reviewed, how many opportunities there are for upskilling and independent learning.
4) AVOID UNCONSCIOUS GENDER BIAS
A study by Harvard University indicates that certain terms and phrases can unconsciously communicate a gender bias, leading to a lack of diversity in applicants. For instance, using words like “assertive” or “competitive” may appeal more to a male candidate, while women might find terms like “collaborative” and “supportive” more appealing. In our 2023 Career Switchers Research Paper Report, we found that one company dropped the words “confident”, “competitive” and “champion” and saw applications from women increase by six times. A simple shift in language can make a significant impact on attracting diverse talent.
EXPERT GUIDANCE
Perspectives shared by our Code First Girls client experts on the successes they’ve seen from following Code First Girls’ recommendations:
“Supporting diversity in the workplace is more than just opening doors for women. Think about how your interview processes can be accessible to candidates with disabilities, who are neurodivergent and from other diverse backgrounds. We equip our partners with resources to help create more accessible interview processes and I’ve seen first-hand that the ones who implement these practices go through a real business transformation!”
“Similar to reconsidering extensive requirements, make sure your interview process doesn’t create additional barriers to access. Assess candidates for their potential and enthusiasm, recognizing that passion and energy are innate qualities. I’ve had partners experience amazing results from swapping traditional tech assessments for our CFGdegree evaluation, which is centred on the ability to grasp a tech language!”
“Get creative with tapping into the awesome community your CFG graduates can create! Some partners have their past ‘CFG-ers’ mentoring their new cohorts, which helps new CFG graduates settle into the business while also aiding the career development of their predecessors. I’ve even seen partners bring the current cohort into the office for a meet-and-greet with the previous cohort.”
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: MDRx
HOW DOES MDRx ATTRACT TOP TECH TALENT WITH CODE FIRST GIRLS?
→ RETHINKING TECHNICAL ASSESSMENTS
CFG graduates are often beginners in tech so it can be valuable to consider ways to test ability beyond a technical assessment. MDRx trusts Code First Girls to sift for women with the best technical aptitude and ability to pick up new languages instead.
→ REMOVING CVS AT ENTRY-LEVEL INTERVIEWS
MDRx was able to move away from any unconscious bias by no longer using CVs as part of the recruitment process with Code First Girls. As a result, MDRx is now receiving high-quality candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds, including those from lower-socio economic backgrounds.
“As leaders, we must continuously enhance the techniques we use to acquire talent. Collaborating with CFG and leveraging their research has provided us with valuable insights into the preferences of women in technology. This knowledge empowers us to refine our recruitment approach ensuring we attract exceptional candidates and maintain an inclusive and gender-balanced organisation.”
Creating inclusive job ads is an essential step towards attracting women in tech. By Streamlining requirements, communicating a positive company culture, spotlighting growth paths, and embracing inclusive language companies can create an environment that not only welcomes diverse talent but also fosters their professional development and success. Your job ad is your first impression so make it count!
Use the list below to cross-check against your ads and make sure they come across as inclusive and welcoming to all:
EXPERIENCE
🚨Do not list barriers such as extensive years of experience
✅Select key skills that are essential to the job role
LANGUAGE
🚨Do not use words like “competitive”, “assertive”
✅Use positive and inclusive language such as “collaborative”, “supportive”, “community”
COMPANY CULTURE
🚨Avoiding language or behaviours to describe your company culture that perpetuates stereotypes or marginalises women
✅Highlight flexibility, support for work-life balance, highlight diversity initiatives and mentorship opportunities
PROGRESSION
🚨Avoid adding things like “competitive salary”
✅Showcase salary, on-the-job learning and career development