Why Your Job Description Needs a 'What We Fixed' Section

The Transparency Gap That Costs You Top Talent

Every job description sells the dream. Cutting-edge technology. Collaborative culture. Growth opportunities. But senior candidates-the ones who have seen behind the curtain at three or four companies-know better.

They know every company has problems. What they want to know is whether your company acknowledges and fixes them.

That is where the 'What We Fixed' section comes in. It is a radical transparency move that 38% of surveyed candidates say would make them more likely to apply, not less. Here is why it works, and how to write one without scaring everyone away.

Why Honesty Beats Perfection in Hiring

When you pretend everything is flawless, you trigger skepticism. Experienced [Product Managers](/job-description/product-manager-general) and [Senior Software Engineers](/job-description/senior-software-engineer-general) have worked at enough places to know that zero problems means zero self-awareness.

A 'What We Fixed' section does three things:

1. Signals psychological safety. If you can admit past mistakes publicly, candidates assume you can handle feedback internally. That is a massive green flag for senior hires who have quit jobs over toxic 'we do not talk about problems' cultures.

2. Attracts problem-solvers, not resume-builders. The best candidates want impact. Showing them you have a track record of diagnosing and solving real issues tells them their work will matter.

3. Differentiates you from competitors. When 99% of job descriptions read like marketing brochures, admitting you used to have a broken deployment pipeline (but fixed it) makes you memorable.

What to Include in a 'What We Fixed' Section

This is not a confessional. You are not airing dirty laundry. You are demonstrating organizational learning.

Here is the formula:

Pick 2-3 Real Problems You Solved

Focus on issues that:

• Were significant enough to matter
• Are now genuinely resolved
• Show your company listens and improves

Example for a [DevOps Engineer](/job-description/devops-engineer-general) role:

'What We Fixed in the Last 18 Months:'

• Reduced deployment time from 4 hours to 22 minutes by migrating to containerized infrastructure
• Cut production incidents by 61% after implementing proper on-call rotation and runbook standards
• Eliminated the 'deployment freeze' before holidays that frustrated the entire engineering team

Notice what this does: it admits there were slow deployments, frequent incidents, and frustrating freezes. But it also shows you measured, fixed, and eliminated them.

Use Metrics When Possible

Vague claims like 'improved communication' mean nothing. 'Reduced average Slack response time from 6 hours to 45 minutes by restructuring team channels' is specific and credible.

Avoid Active Disasters

Do not write: 'We are currently fixing our toxic leadership problem.'

Do write: 'We replaced 40% of our management layer in 2023 after employee feedback revealed accountability gaps. Our latest engagement scores are up 29 points.'

Past tense. Resolved. Measured.

What This Section Tells Candidates

When a [Senior Product Manager](/job-description/senior-product-manager-general) sees that you fixed a broken roadmap process or a [Data Scientist](/job-description/data-scientist-general) reads that you eliminated the 'data swamp' that made analytics impossible, they learn:

• You listen to employees
• You invest in solutions, not just talk about them
• You are mature enough to admit imperfection
• You create an environment where problems are solved, not hidden

That is exactly the signal that makes a passive candidate actively interested.

How to Test This Approach

Try it on your next three job postings. Add a 'What We Fixed' section with 2-3 honest, resolved issues. Track:

• Application volume
• Quality of applicants (years of experience, skill match)
• Candidate questions during screening (do they ask more strategic questions?)
• Offer acceptance rates

Most companies that test this see a drop in quantity but a significant increase in quality. You will get fewer tire-kickers and more candidates who appreciate honesty and want to contribute to a learning organization.

The Bottom Line

Perfection is not compelling. Progress is.

The 'What We Fixed' section transforms your job description from a generic sales pitch into a credible story about a real company that solves real problems. That is the story top talent wants to join.

If you are ready to write job descriptions that attract problem-solvers instead of job-hoppers, transparency is not optional-it is your competitive advantage.

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