Write strong job descriptions.

Search for the type of job you’re posting on LinkedIn to see what titles are most common.

Note: If candidates set up an alert for certain titles, this can also help get your open role on their radar.

Highlight your mission.
Include a concise description of what your nonprofit does for applicants that might be unfamiliar with it.
• Keep it short — one line is ideal.
• Link to your website where candidates can learn more (this is good for SEO, too).

Focus on DEI.
Include an authentic, non-generic diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement.
• Find inspiration by looking up standard statements and/or seeing what other nonprofits have posted.
• Consider including some specific details about why diversity is a strength for your organization and how it helps you fulfill your mission.

Leverage your EVP.
Include some details from your employee value proposition (EVP) to make the job post enticing.
• Limit this section to a short paragraph or some bullet points.
• Remember that even small benefits like a pet-friendly office or the option to work remotely some or all of the time can be very appealing.

Role objectives
Focus on outcomes versus tasks in this section. What will the candidate be expected to achieve and how will this move your mission forward? Keep it high level.

Skills and qualifications
Include only the skills, past experience, and qualifications that are absolutely essential from day one for performing the role well. This will require you to align with the hiring manager beforehand. If something can be learned on the job, consider moving it to the “Preferred qualifications” section, or removing it entirely. 


Consider focusing more on soft skills than hard skills or experience. Hard skills can be trained, and knowledge can come from many different places, whereas soft skills (such as communication, time management, and teamwork skills) tend to be harder to learn.

Education requirements
Be mindful about educational requirements, as this can negatively impact your DEI efforts. Ask yourself, could a candidate have the skills and knowledge needed to do this job without a four-year degree? For example, could they have acquired the skills and knowledge through other means, such as prior work experience or an online course?

Daily/monthly responsibilities
Give candidates a strong idea of what day-to-day life will be like in the role. This is where you can get a bit more granular.

Preferred qualifications
This is the section where you can add things that are nice to have, but not essential to the role.

Is it detailed and specific without being overly long or wordy?
If your job post is too short, people may not get a good sense of the role, leading to a flood of unqualified applications (or low interest from your target audience). On the other hand, if it’s too long and difficult to skim, especially on mobile, it may feel overwhelming. 


Note: Posts around 150 words are better for SEO.

Does it use gender-neutral wording throughout to be inclusive of candidates of all genders?
Use “they” vs. “he or she.” Try to avoid “masculine-coded” words like “ambitious” and “assertive” as these are shown to lead to a lower sense of perceived belonging by women.

Does the tone match your nonprofit’s voice and culture?
The way you write your post can give people a sense of the type of culture they’ll be joining. If you write your post in a very formal way, people may view your nonprofit as more traditional. If you write it using casual language or humor, they may view your organization as having a more laid-back culture. 


Note: Neither way of writing is incorrect — the key is to set the right expectations based on your organization so you can attract people who will thrive in it.

Is everything spelled correctly — especially the job title?
Typos not only make your posting look less professional, they can also affect searchability. Consider reading the job post out loud, using a free spell-check tool or browser extension, or have someone else review the text before posting.