Most small business owners write job posts from their own perspective. The result: either crickets, or a pile of applications from people who clearly didn't read the post.
Here's why — and what to do about it.
The Requirements Problem
The average job post has 40% unnecessary requirements. 'Must have 5+ years experience in [technology that's 3 years old]' isn't a requirement — it's a filter that eliminates good candidates while attracting people who exaggerate their CV.
The fix: split every requirement into MUST HAVE and NICE TO HAVE. Must-haves are things someone genuinely cannot do the job without. Everything else is a preference.
This single change typically increases qualified applications by 30-40%.
The Salary Transparency Problem
'Competitive salary' is a red flag to experienced candidates. It signals that either you haven't done market research, or the salary isn't actually competitive.
Adding a salary range — even a wide one — increases applications from qualified candidates, because those candidates stop self-selecting out of the process.
The Title Problem
Most job titles are written for internal clarity, not external searchability. 'Customer Experience Champion' ranks on zero job boards. 'Customer Support Manager' ranks on all of them.
Your title is a search keyword. Write it like one.
The 'About Us' Problem
Four paragraphs about your company history is four paragraphs that candidates skip. The best job posts limit 'About Us' to two sentences: what you do, and why it matters.
A Faster Fix
I built JobPostAI specifically for small business hiring managers who don't have an HR team. Paste in your role basics, get a complete structured job posting in 30 seconds — with proper requirements split, SEO-optimized title, and a clear CTA.
Free for 3 posts/day. No signup.
For deeper issues (why you're attracting the wrong people, specific keyword gaps, bias in your language), there's a $29 HiringAudit that covers the full analysis.
What's the worst job post mistake you've seen — as a candidate or a hiring manager?
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