We spend hours obsessing over job titles, company blurbs, and benefits copy. But what if the real deal-breaker lives inside your job description requirements?

I’m talking about that long list of bullet points. The ones that say things like “must have 5+ years of experience” or “proficient in Excel.” The ones we copy-paste from older job ads without questioning whether they help or hurt our chances of finding the right person.

Here’s what I think: It’s time for a mini experiment.

Testing Job Description Requirements: Examples That Might Change How You Hire

We ran across a client (let’s call them Company X) who had the same job posted twice—once with a traditional requirements section, and once with the same info split into “Must-Have” and “Nice-to-Have” lists.

And guess what? The version with grouped requirements got fewer applicants overall, but more qualified ones. Interview-to-offer ratios improved. Time-to-fill dropped. No extra sourcing required.

In a post about improving job descriptions, my teammate, Shanece Grant, says:

“Use structured formatting – Break up large chunks of text with bullet points, subheadings, and whitespace. This makes it easier for job seekers to scan and absorb key details.”

This makes sense. When candidates see a wall of bullets, they often assume they need to meet all of them. Especially women, nonbinary folks, and candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. Breaking things out with clear “Must-Have” and “Nice-to-Have” categories helps candidates self-assess more accurately.

How to Run Your Own “Job Description Requirements” Mini Experiment

If you’re curious, here’s how to run your own version of this test:

1. Pick a high-traffic job you’re hiring for.
2. Write two versions:
   • Version A: Classic bulleted list under “Requirements”
   • Version B: Two subheadings: “Must-Have Qualifications” and “Nice-to-Have Qualifications”

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