Most job postings read like dating profiles for an imaginary perfect person. Must be a self-starter. Thrives under pressure. Excellent communication skills. Works well independently and in teams. Passionate about spreadsheets. Five to seven years of experience, but somehow still entry-level.
These descriptions tell candidates almost nothing about the actual work while creating a detailed portrait of an idealized employee who probably doesn’t exist. But a growing number of organizations are discovering what happens when they flip this approach entirely: describe what needs to be done, not who needs to do it.
The results are surprising, and they’re changing who gets hired.
Table of Contents
The Problem with Person-Focused Descriptions
Traditional job descriptions are obsessed with attributes, characteristics, and personality traits. They’re looking for “dynamic team players” with “excellent interpersonal skills” who are “detail-oriented” yet “big-picture thinkers.” These vague descriptors tell candidates very little about whether they can actually do the job.
Worse, they create unnecessary barriers. Someone might be exceptional at data analysis but doesn’t consider themselves a “dynamic self-starter.” Another candidate might have all the technical skills required but doesn’t relate to corporate buzzwords about “synergy” and “passion.” These descriptions filter people out based on how they describe themselves rather than what they can accomplish.
This approach particularly impacts people who’ve been historically excluded from traditional workplaces. Someone with exceptional skills but limited conventional work experience might not see themselves in a description demanding “proven track record” or “seasoned professional.” A person with autism might be phenomenal at detail-oriented technical work but won’t apply to jobs seeking “cultural fit” or “strong social skills.”
The Unexpected Benefits
Organizations making this shift are discovering advantages they didn’t anticipate. When job descriptions focus on tasks and outcomes rather than personality traits, something interesting happens: the applicant pool diversifies dramatically.
One nonprofit working with inclusive employment Australia resources rewrote their program coordinator description to focus entirely on the work itself. They listed specific responsibilities like “schedule 12 monthly workshops,” “maintain attendance database,” and “prepare quarterly impact reports.” They removed all the usual language about being “passionate” and “enthusiastic” and “excellent communicators.”
Applications increased by 40%, and the demographic mix shifted noticeably. They received applications from people with disabilities who’d previously avoided roles with vague social requirements. They heard from career changers who could clearly see how their skills transferred. They attracted candidates who were excellent at the actual work but weren’t great at performing confidence in cover letters.
Skills Over Credentials
Work-focused descriptions naturally emphasize skills over credentials. When you describe what someone will actually do all day, arbitrary educational requirements start looking irrelevant. Does someone really need a bachelor’s degree to schedule workshops and maintain databases? Or do they need organizational skills, attention to detail, and basic technical proficiency?
This shift opens opportunities for people who gained skills through non-traditional paths. Someone who’s been managing complex family logistics for years might have exceptional project management abilities. A person who taught themselves graphic design for personal projects might have exactly the technical skills needed. A candidate with years of volunteer experience might have deeper community connections than someone with a fancy degree.
The focus becomes “can you do these specific things?” rather than “do you have this particular educational background or job title history?” It’s a more honest assessment of capability.
The Broader Impact
When job descriptions describe work rather than workers, they accidentally address multiple inclusion challenges at once. They help people with disabilities assess accessibility needs. They support neurodivergent candidates who struggle with ambiguous social expectations. They assist career changers in identifying transferable skills. They reduce bias by focusing on concrete capabilities rather than subjective judgments.
This isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about raising clarity. The best person for the job might not be the person who best performs corporate personality traits. They might just be the person who can most effectively accomplish the actual work that needs doing.
And that’s what job descriptions should communicate.
