Software engineers like people too? Data shows that “serve customers” means more than “latest tools” in faster-filling engineering job ads.
If you buy into stereotypes, then you might think that software developers only care about getting to use the newest coding tools. And that’s definitely important to them: we’ve found that “latest tools” is one of the most statistically significant phrases found in higher-performing job ads for the role of Software Engineer. If you use “latest tools” in a posting, that job is nearly 11 times as likely to fill quickly compared to the industry average.
But there is another phrase that is even more closely linked to quick hires: “serve customers.” Textio’s data predicts that job listings that include this phrase are almost 12 times more likely to fill fast—in fact, it is the most statistically significant phrase for shortening time-to-fill for this job title.
Hopefully if you’re a tech recruiter you don’t have to choose: maybe at your company the developers get to use the latest tools in service of customer needs all the time. Just make sure to say so in your job post!
