AI Turned Job Vacancies into Huge ‘Laundry Lists’ of Requirements for Candidates

If it seems like modern job postings are impossible to read to the end, that is not an illusion. Studies show that job ads really are getting longer, and the main reason is the widespread use of artificial intelligence in writing them.

From two words to an entire novel

According to analysts from HR services, the average length of job titles grew from 2.4 words in 2013 to 4 words by 2025. At the same time, the job ads themselves continue to expand:

the number of characters in job descriptions increased by 7.4% from 2022 to 2026;

the number of sections within job postings grew by almost 14%;

skills lists became about 16% longer;

the number of words in job ads increased by more than 14% over the past several years.

As a result, many vacancies now resemble the famous long receipts from the American pharmacy chain CVS, which is why the term CVS receipt job descriptions appeared in English-language media.

Why AI is to blame

Recruiters are increasingly using ChatGPT and other language models to create job postings. The problem is that neural networks try not to miss anything and start listing literally everything:

they add template phrases and corporate slogans;

they mix mandatory and desirable requirements;

they include tasks that may never actually be needed;

they combine the responsibilities of several specialists into one position.

Experts note that managers often simply ask AI to “write a job description” with virtually no editing afterward. As a result, instead of a clear list of requirements, they end up with a huge document containing dozens of points.

Mark Cenedella, head of the career platform Ladders, compared this approach to trying to “dump into the ad everything that came to mind.”

This is not only bad for applicants

Paradoxically, overly detailed job postings make the hiring process worse.

Candidates find it harder to understand whether they really fit the position. This especially applies to women: studies show that they are much less likely to apply if they do not meet every listed requirement. Men, by contrast, are more likely to send in a résumé even when their skills do not fully match.

In addition, long descriptions make the work of HR specialists more difficult. Applicants begin using AI to tailor their résumés to huge lists of requirements, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish a truly suitable candidate.

Things used to be much simpler

The most interesting comparison concerns the first known job vacancy in history. It was published in 1752 in a Virginia colony newspaper. The employer was looking for someone to work with oysters and set just two requirements:

be sober;

have a good reputation.

Over nearly three centuries, job ads have grown from a few lines into multi-page documents, and artificial intelligence has only accelerated the process.

Experts believe the market will gradually move toward the opposite trend: companies that can write short, clear and honest job postings will attract the best specialists faster than their competitors.