Refining Job Postings with Words That Welcome

Words matter—especially for employers aiming to recruit the diverse workforce they need to innovate and thrive in a changing world.

Take, for example, the word “execute.” For many, the word seems like a neutral way to talk about taking action on a project. Yet if a promising job candidate associates the word with violence or capital punishment instead, whether consciously or subconsciously, they may scroll past a job posting that would be an excellent fit for them. Then everyone loses out: the company, the candidate, and innovation overall. 

While Booz Allen has long taken steps to remove bias and non-inclusive language from job descriptions, the firm has recently adopted a new technology that gives the process more standardization and rigor. Read on for highlights from a recent article in Booz Allen’s "Unstoppable Together" magazine.

Developed by TalVista, Booz Allen’s new tech tool incorporates nearly a decade of scientific research. “A peer of ours who uses the tool company-wide saw a 20% increase in diverse applicants,” said Tom Downs, head of diversity talent acquisition at Booz Allen. 

Project teams simply paste text from job descriptions into the platform. Behind the scenes, sophisticated algorithms go to work searching for gendered terms, language shown to be non-inclusive for underrepresented candidates, and more. 

Potentially problematic words and phrases appear in a spectrum from light pink to dark red. Inclusive words and phrases appear in green. The tool also suggests replacements—for example, using “extensive knowledge or experience” instead of “subject matter expert” or “expert” to prevent a qualified candidate from thinking the term “expert” disqualifies them for a role.  

As teams revise the content, the tool then updates the job description’s inclusivity score in real time.

Now roughly 6 months into the pilot program, the tech team has begun collecting data and is tracking the amount of engagement among job hunters.  

“We’re comparing how many diverse candidates apply for postings in 2022 against how many applied for the same job in 2021, before we used the tool,” Downs said.  

Booz Allen’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy and Action Plan specifically commits the firm to advancing equity and resilience through its world-class capabilities. In the bigger picture, Downs said, “Having a tool with a tangible metric is a huge step forward in our DEI journey.”

New technologies like the job description tech tool are an important part of Booz Allen’s ongoing, multichannel approach to attracting diverse and underrepresented tech talent, Downs explained. “When you examine Booz Allen content, whether it’s words or pictures, you want to see yourself there.”