Episode: 259

Episode Title: One Word to Recruit Better

Hiring and recruitment are tough in today’s tight labor market, but there’s one small pivot that can make a big difference. Find out more, coming up next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 259 show:

Welcome—you are now in The Perna Syndicate! As the economy recovers and companies scramble to fill their open positions, they’re making big changes, like removing the requirement for a college degree. But there are also smaller ones that can recruit more quality candidates—like changing one word in a job posting. 

LinkedIn recently did some research that uncovered a single word that is preventing many people from applying. It’s a surprising one: “requirements.” Yep, you heard that right. Instead, hiring managers should focus on a different word: “responsibilities.” LinkedIn’s data shows that job posts that mention “responsibilities,” without mentioning “requirements,” received 14% more applications per view than listings that emphasized “requirements.” 

The data doesn’t break down the ages of the applicants, but I think one takeaway could be how the younger generations truly are aspirational in their work. They actually want responsibilities, because they want to accomplish great things in their careers. Gen-Z especially is driven to make a difference through their professional lives, with a record number wanting to become entrepreneurs someday. 

In this light, it’s easy to see how the word “requirements” can be a turnoff. It just sounds like more hoops to jump through. Most young people had enough of that in school, thank you very much. They’re looking for positions where they can make a difference, not where they can check a box to even qualify.

Responsibility over requirement—it’s a small change in the wording, but a big shift in our mindset. 

On tomorrow’s episode, I’ve got some advice for the next generation as they enter this changing labor market. Thanks for listening and we’ll see you tomorrow on The Perna Syndicate.