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Let’s unpack before we circle back, shall we?

Let’s be real: if there’s one thing the tech world likes to do (apart from revolutionise the way we live, work and play, of course) is to come up with new, somewhat annoying buzzwords. That is, to disrupt with a holistic approach when circling back for a deep dive on big data and its value proposition and pain points. Is there the bandwidth to ditch the wheelhouse and pivot or break things? Oh, we know what we’d like to break…

There’s no doubt that business jargon is one of the banes of modern-working life. According to the Oxford dictionary, it’s “special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand”. We like to think it’s more “a profound-seeming phrase devised by someone important to make something sound better than it is”. 

Either way, it’s infuriating. Countless surveys show that workers and bosses alike detest cloying marketing-speak which, of course, isn’t just limited to the odd email (that someone pings you!). Jargon can actually result in feelings of mistrust and frustration, and nowhere more, it seems, than in job advertisements. In a survey of 2,000 graduates, 71% of people were discouraged from applying for jobs purely because of the jargon it contained. Research shows that jargon also confuses, annoys, and intimidates candidates. Some jobseekers respond by filling their applications with jargon in turn, even if they don’t understand what it means, so creating a vicious circle of mutual confusion. And, sadly, no blue-sky thinking for all involved.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to bin the buzzwords in job ads. A carefully crafted and compelling job description is what’s going to attract the best, most qualified candidates for an open role. The key to writing effective job descriptions is to make every word count. That is, to find that perfect balance between providing enough details so candidates understand the role and the company, while keeping the description concise. Speaking of…

Looking for a great job with an equally exceptional advert? Here are three that are totally in our wheelhouse. Okay, that’s the last time – we promise.

Senior Developer, Vestiaire Collective

Clear and concise, this advert from Vestiaire Collective – the leading global online marketplace for pre-loved fashion – is easy to understand, with lots of bullet points and a minimal amount of acronyms. Praise be. Okay, okay, there is a reference to ‘big picture’, and also to ‘multiple ‘hats’ but we’ll forgive them for those because the job is so great. To apply, you’ll need a minimum of five years’ experience as an iOS developer, and great knowledge of Swift and Objective-C to write readable, maintainable and performant code, among other skills. If successful, you’ll have the opportunity to do career-defining work in a fast-growing, French-born scale-up and work as part of a global diverse team with more than 50 nationalities. We can don a hat or two for that. You can apply HERE.

Full-Stack Software Engineer, Xero

At Xero, its purpose – to make life better for people in small business, their advisors, and communities around the world – clearly sits at the centre of everything it does. The online accounting software platform describes its culture as human, friendly, engaging, supportive, agile and super collaborative, and the advert genuinely reads that way too. Full disclosure: it features a hashtag or eight, but that’s part of its charm as it also builds a pretty amazing picture of what a job at the company would be like. We really like the short paragraph ‘About You’ and the longer ‘Snapshot Of Some Of The Things You’ll Get’. To get the job, you’ll need experience with some of the specific technologies, and in return, you’ll receive a competitive salary, company pension scheme, 23 days holiday, 10 days wellbeing leave and shares in the company. Are you in or are you in? Read more about it HERE.

Data Engineer, HubSpot

There’s no funny business with HubSpot which gets right to the point with its great job advert: “We’re not a centralised reporting-only team, we’re a team of data model developers … and … you’ll tackle big problems alongside some of the most talented and dynamic people you’ve ever worked with”. Very few acronyms or buzzwords (and just one exclamation mark!), the ad is succinct and concise and we like it a lot, particularly this last sentence: We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates, so please don’t hesitate to apply — we’d love to hear from you. If you can contribute to codebase, bring industry-best practices and you’re committed to data quality, security and privacy, we recommend you click HERE for more info on this great role.

For more great job opportunities, from companies who skip the jargon, check out our job board today.

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