Have you ever been drawn to the title in a job you’ve seen advertised but then read on and decided not to apply? If so, it’s possible the advert contained gender-biased language which put you off.
Mind your language!
Our unconscious biases makes this an easy trap to fall into. With two recent vacancies in my own team, I ‘tested out’ the wording for each of my advertisements by cutting and pasting text into a gender bias decoder. I had to change 3 or 4 words before my ad was deemed free of bias. The tool highlights words which which inadvertently bias adverts- and all recruiters should use this or one like it to ensure bias is checked before jobs go live, because we all have unconscious biases, whether we like it or not.
The original research, which led to the subsequent creation of a number of gender bias checkers can be found here: ‘Evidence that gendered wording in job advertisements exists and sustains gender inequality’, (Gaucher.D, Friesen.J and Kay.A.C., 2011).
The researchers found that job adverts with masculine-coded language were less appealing to women and made them feel they didn’t belong. Conversely, men were less likely than women to be put off by feminine-coded advertisements.
I decided to test out some current advertisements and cut and pasted 3 different job details from LinkedIn’s live jobs board from different sectors into the gender decoder. The results:
- IT Business Analyst: ‘strongly masculine-coded’.
- A Civil Service Private Secretary vacancy was ‘strongly feminine-coded’.
- An Assistant Procurement Manager was more ‘masculine-coded.’
What’s worth noting is that these organisations were also keen to point out a number of company benefits that may mean the culture is perhaps not as gender-biased as these advertisements suggest, offering flexible or blended working and generous terms and and conditions. However, if the wording in the advert discourages women in particular from applying in the first place, then many women won’t ever get to take advantage of these.
Tech firms in particular, who are struggling to recruit currently will need to try harder to attract more female applicants. The sector already has an male-dominated image problem to overcome so gendered language in adverts will only compound the problem.
Male and female-coded words
Examples of masculine-coded words include: ambitious, assertive, decisive, determined, analytical, expert, independent, confident.
Examples of female-coded words: collaborative, committed, dependable, empathic, interpersonal, supportive, inclusive.
It’s important to have a blend of each so adverts are more balanced and don’t discourage potentially suitable applicants.
Superlatives
Women are also more likely to be turned off by superlatives. ‘Excellent, superior, powerful, successful’ to name a few. We are generally hard-wired to behave in certain ways; girls are more typically socialised to follow the rules and taught that hard work will be rewarded. Whilst that may work in educational settings, the workplace is not naturally meritocratic. It tends to favour rule- breakers, people who are comfortable seeking recognition and often rewards potential rather than capability. Men are more routinely socialised or learn to play this game, leaving many capable women in their wake. Men and women are therefore playing different ‘games’ in order to develop their careers- and women are often the losers.
What’s the answer?
It’s worthwhile using a gender decoder to check for bias in ads for roles where you were drawn to the job role but wavered when you read the detail- to check if it is the language that feels ‘off.’
If you can get past that, you might find out whether there is a contact you’re able to speak to within the organisation to find out more about the role. A conversation can reveal much more than the text alone and may provide context, enabling you to decide whether to apply. If you decide not to after the conversation you could point out the reason why to the person you’ve been speaking with. If you’re not intending to apply you may be doing the organisation a favour. If they address the issue that’s a positive. If they don’t, your decision not to apply will have been the right one.
If you do apply ‘despite’ the wording you need to be prepared to mirror some of the language used in the job role in order to make the shortlist- so be more overt about your successes.
There is a risk that you may end up bending yourself out of shape by trying to conform to a gender-biased set of behaviours in order to be successful. Something I suspect a number of us have either seen or experienced.
Play a different game
Instead, why not experiment and be playful by observing others’ successful behaviours and look to develop some of the skills that will help you succeed until you assimilate these? With practice they will become part of how you operate and who you are and will feel more natural.
Raising your profile, developing your network and finding a sponsor are likely to be more successful strategies that working diligently and modestly and hoping senior managers will recognise and reward you.
The message for recruiters is crystal clear. Ensure your job adverts and requirements are checked for bias or risk significantly reducing the talent pool from which you hope to fish. Economically speaking that’s a lose-lose game.
If you can’t win the game, change the rules. Eric Schmidt
