5 Reasons your job ad repels software engineers (and what to do about it)

1. No Salary

“Competitive salary” – Competing with whom?

Software engineers value transparency.

“Competitive salary” is a big red flag – it suggests you’re hiding something or aren’t willing to pay the market rates.

What do to instead?

List the salary – it’s that simple. Even a ballpark figure is better than “competitive salary”.

2. Buzzwords

“Must be able to hit the ground running” = we won’t train or coach you.

“Must be willing to wear many hats” = we’d like you to do the job of three people on one salary.

“Thrives in a high-paced environment” = we expect you to give 100% all the time, we don’t care if you stress and burn out

What to do instead?

Use clear language – focus on what the role will actually be like day-to-day.

3. Vague Job Descriptions

A job ad that lacks clear details about the role’s responsibilities, required skills and expectation gets brought up by our candidates as a major red flag.

What do to instead?

Be specific about the technologies, tools, and frameworks involved in the role. Clearly outline daily tasks, projects, and the level of experience expected.

4. Unrealistic Requirements

Ads that ask for excessive experience (e.g. 5+ years with a tech stack that’s only been around for 3 years) or an unreasonable number of skills for a single role can signal misalignment.

What to do instead?

Set realistic requirements that align with the level of the role (junior, mid, senior). If the role involves learning on the job, mention that a willingness to learn is more important than experience.

5. Lack of Culture and Growth

If a job ad doesn’t give any insight into the company culture, team structure, or growth opportunities, candidates may worry about stagnation or a lack of work-life balance.

What to do instead?

Briefly describe the team environment, learning opportunities, and how the company supports career development. A couple of lines can go a long way.