How to Write a Job Posting That Doesn't Attract 300 Applications

ORecruiter uses an application cap to stop the pile from forming. But the cap is the backstop, not the first line of defense. The first filter is the job posting itself.

A vague job posting attracts a wide field. A specific one narrows it naturally. Here’s what makes the difference.

State the compensation

This is the single highest-impact thing you can do.

When you don’t publish a salary range, you’re inviting everyone to apply and find out. Some will be way below what you can offer. Some will be way above. A large chunk of your applicants are immediately a bad fit on comp — you just don’t know which ones until you’ve already wasted each other’s time.

When you publish the range, people self-select. The ones who need more money move on. The ones who’d take less than they’re worth can decide whether it’s worth their time. You get applicants who’ve already made the first cut themselves.

This is good for you and good for them.

State the real must-haves

Most job postings list 15 requirements when 5 of them are negotiable and only 3 are actually non-negotiable. Candidates can’t tell the difference, so they apply anyway and hope.

Ask yourself: what would actually disqualify someone on day one? What does the person who doesn’t work out consistently fail at in this role? Write that down. Those are your real must-haves.

Everything else is nice-to-have. Either cut it from the posting or label it clearly. “Nice to have: experience with Salesforce” is honest. “Required: 5+ years with Salesforce” when you’d actually consider 2 is noise that attracts the wrong people.

Be specific about the work

“Responsibilities include managing multiple projects” tells a candidate nothing. Every job manages multiple projects.

What does this person actually do on a Tuesday? What does success look like in month three? What problem are they solving that nobody has solved well yet?

Concrete descriptions attract people who’ve done that thing before, or who genuinely want to. Vague descriptions attract everyone.

Be honest about the stage

If you’re a 12-person startup, say so. If there’s no defined process for this function yet, say so. If the role is going to require building from scratch, say so.

Candidates who want structured environments will filter themselves out. The ones who want to build something will lean in. That’s the right filter.

The cap does the rest

Even with a well-written, specific posting, you’ll get some applicants who don’t fit. The cap stops the pile from forming before it gets unmanageable. The screening does the final filter.

But writing a clear, honest posting means the screening finds more people worth talking to — and the people who do apply have already told themselves they’re a reasonable fit.

That’s a better start for everyone.