Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about reading between the lines of job postings.
What kinds of job postings can I analyze?
Any text-based job description: tech, finance, healthcare, marketing, operations, legal, sales, executive — any industry and any level. Paste the full posting for best results, or paste specific sections you want analyzed (e.g., just the requirements or the culture description).
What red flags does the tool detect?
Common signals include: unrealistic multi-role scope ('this role is 50% marketing / 30% operations / 20% sales'), toxic culture phrases ('work hard play hard,' 'thick skin required'), excessive requirements lists for junior roles, vague or missing compensation information, 'always on' culture signals, and high-turnover indicators like 'we need someone to hit the ground running immediately.'
How accurate is the interpretation?
Our analysis accurately identifies linguistic patterns that correlate strongly with specific workplace realities based on large-scale research into job posting language. However, job postings can be written by HR teams that are disconnected from the real team, can be outdated, or can use industry jargon that has different meanings in different contexts. The analysis is a starting point — verify what matters most during interviews.
Can I use it to screen postings as a recruiter or hiring manager?
Yes. Many hiring managers use DecodeThisJob to audit their own job postings — checking whether the language they're putting out accurately represents the role and signals the culture they've built (or whether it's accidentally signaling the wrong things to candidates).
Does 'rockstar developer' always mean something bad?
It's a yellow flag, not a universal red flag. 'Rockstar' language often signals that the role has a high bar for performance — which could mean a high-performing team, or it could mean an understaffed team where one person is expected to do the work of three. The surrounding context in the posting matters. Our analysis considers the phrase in context.
Why do some postings say 'competitive salary' without a number?
Salary transparency laws vary by state. But beyond legality, 'competitive salary' without a range is often a negotiating tactic — it forces the candidate to anchor first. It can also signal that the company's pay bands are not actually competitive with the market and they'd rather not show their hand. Our analysis flags missing compensation information and what it may indicate.
What does 'fast-paced environment' actually mean?
In most corporate contexts: understaffing, deadline pressure, and limited time for thoughtful work. It can also mean genuinely high-growth — the context determines which. 'Fast-paced environment' combined with 'startup mentality' and 'you'll wear many hats' almost always means the first interpretation.
Is the job posting text I submit stored?
No. Text submitted for analysis is processed in real time and not retained on our servers. Job postings are public information, but we still handle your submissions with the same data care we apply to any user input.
How many analyses can I run for free?
Free users get 5 analyses per day. Pro users get unlimited analyses. No account required for the free tier.
How do I cancel a subscription?
Email hello@garnetgrid.com from your account email. Your access continues until the end of the current billing period.
Still have questions?
Email us at hello@garnetgrid.com and we'll respond within one business day.