Koen Brummelhuis

Customer Success Manager
August 26, 2022

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Language level B1 and CEFR

Do you receive very few responses when you post a job online? If so, this can lead to several problems. One is the very limited number of suitable candidates to choose from. Another is a lack of diversity among the candidates that do apply. It’s time to find out why so few people apply. 

Something we see often is that job ads are written at a language level that is too complex for most people to understand. Luckily, there are ways to overcome this readability issue. One is by writing job ads at language level B1

 

The different language levels

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) distinguishes six language levels. There are three main categories (A, B, and C) and two sublevels per category. Category A is the lowest proficiency and category C is the highest. About 80% of the population can understand language level B1. Contrary to what you might think, most job ads are written at language level C1. Clearly, that’s not the way to reach most of the people in your target group. 

 

What to consider when writing at language level B1

Language level B1 is considered the intermediate level. When we consider reading, language level B1 means that people can understand: 

  • texts that consist mainly of everyday or job-related language;
  • the description of events, feelings, and wishes in written content. 

The most important thing for writing at language level B1 is keeping it simple. Don’t use difficult words, and keep sentences and paragraphs short. Give your job description a clear heading and subheadings. And don’t forget to add some bullet points. 

 

Use Textmetrics to write at language level B1

The importance of writing at language level B1 is clear. Although it might seem simple, we know that it’s actually quite difficult. Luckily, you can use the Textmetrics platform to write at language level B1. The platform uses AI algorithms to assess the readability of your job ad. And gives you real-time suggestions on how to reach the desired language level. It’s truly as easy as it sounds! You just need to follow the instructions. Before you know it, you’ll have a job description at language level B1. One that almost everyone in your target group can understand. And one that will help your company become more diverse.

Want to try Textmetrics? Click here for a free trial!

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