If you are struggling to hire data analysts or product managers in London, the barrier might not just be the salary or lack of awareness – it might be your job description. Many recruitment packs consist of outdated templates that have been inherited over many years. They give the impression that the organisation is stuffy and old-fashioned, and they bury your organisation’s personality.

Here are some tips on how to modernise your role profile and attract a wider pool of talent.

1. Structure your role profile for the candidate

Traditional profiles often start with half or even a whole page of corporate or political preambles. Digital and data professionals are driven by purpose; they want to see the mission front and centre.

The fix: swap corporate fluff for social impact. Move the history lesson to the end and lead with how the role improves residents’ lives – such as using data to prevent homelessness or designing better digital services for social care.

2. Use clear, inclusive language

To an outsider, local government can feel like a secret society! We talk in a dialect of acronyms – KPIs, MTFS, SLAs, GDPR, SEND and IG. This can act as a keep out sign to talented private-sector professionals.

The fix: use plain English. Read the job description through the eyes of an outsider. Making your language accessible and inclusive isn’t dumbing down – it’s widening the gate.

3. Refine the essential criteria

It’s common to inherit long person specifications, but if you demand twenty-five different essential skills, you risk falling into the unicorn trap! You risk deterring brilliant candidates who may not apply unless they meet 100% of the criteria.

The fix: focus on a maximum of eight essential criteria. Focus on the minimal viable essentials – the core skills the person actually needs on day one. Remember: you can teach someone a specific software tool, but you can’t easily teach a problem-solving mindset. If you must list more than eight, explicitly state that candidates do not need to meet every single requirement to apply.

4. Add a human touch to the process

If your role profile reads like a dull legal contract, candidates might assume that your workplace culture will feel like one too. Your profile is a piece of marketing; it should make a candidate actually want to spend 37 hours a week with your team.

The fix: add some human elements. Try a “week in the life” section to bring the role to life. Highlight your commitment to hybrid and flexible working clearly, rather than burying it in a small-print policy.

5. Enhance accessibility and inclusivity

A modern profile must be modern in its design. Visual barriers can exclude candidates with visual impairments or dyslexia. Thoughtless use of language can deter particular genders or cultures.

The fix: use proper heading styles and font sizes of at least 12pt. Avoid italics, tiny fonts, and complex tables used only for layout. Finally, consciously check all text for gender or cultural bias.

The bottom line

Recruitment should not be a test of how much bureaucracy a candidate can tolerate; it should showcase your mission and culture. If your role profiles feel like relics, candidates will assume your technology and culture are, too.

Inclusive recruitment is a smart strategy that leads to more creative, engaged teams. It is time to retire the old templates and write profiles that reflect the innovative, human-centred organisations we strive to be.

Find out more in the new LOTI guide

Good recruitment which is inclusive and accessible isn’t just about fairness; it’s also a smart strategy. A diverse workforce helps you tap into a wider talent pool, leading to a more creative and engaged team.

The LOTI guide to better recruitment outlines specific measures councils can take at each stage of the recruitment process to increase their chances of reaching the broadest audience and successfully hiring.