I live with 3 middle school teachers and I have a moment where I worry about the future generation every day based on the stories they share. Whether it’s how snarky kids are with adults, the very adult outfits, or how they film every bit of the bad behavior, I genuinely question their common sense.

Now, I realize they’re in the age of doing things that are stupid, but making sure to film things like a slap fight in the bathroom? That’s a whole new level of idiocy.

These stories prompt what my friends are now calling “Kat’s Dad rants.” I want to pretend they’re wrong, but I know I’m doing it - especially when I start sentences with phrases like “when I was 13…” and “the internet ruined everything.” While I know it’s true that we didn’t behave that way (at least not on video) back in my day, it’s also a series of judgements and comparisons I could probably do without. But hey, I’m human.

One thing is for sure: the internet has changed everything - for kids and adults. One of those things? Attention spans. Most kids get distracted by the second sentence. But let’s face it, that’s not any different for the adults.

With Shortening Attention Spans, How Long Is A Good Job Post?

People’s attention spans are getting shorter and that’s something every recruiter needs to be aware of. Those 500+ word emails and job postings just won’t get the job done. Well, at least not with people who are constantly switching from task to task, app to app, and everything else.

So how long is a good job post nowadays?

There is a sweet spot for attention based on the things they actually do pay attention to and I call it the "Three Ears Media Toilet Theory Of Attention Span." It states that the average person’s attention span is about as long as they sit on the toilet (for a number one).

While that may be a little too specific, it’s also accurate to most and gives us a guide for how long “good” content might be - whether you’re working on a great job post or any other piece of content meant to get people’s attention.

Watch this video to learn what that word count really is for writing a good job post and how I determined that magic number for capturing, and keeping, a candidate’s attention - from any generation.

Three Ears Media's YouTube Channel can be found here.

Highlights:

:01: How long is a good job post? How many words does it have?

:22 The reason we target this word count is science.

:44 While you may think the toilet is crude, you won’t forget this one.

1:00 You need to write something you think someone will read beginning to end.