Being generic, overpromising, ignoring tradeoffs, and not operationalizing the EVP into recruiting workflows.

The big mistakes: (1) Copy-paste claims any competitor could make, (2) No proof, (3) Too broad (“for everyone”), (4) Only perks instead of work realities, (5) No tradeoffs (sounds fake), (6) Not role-relevant (one EVP for all jobs), and (7) No adoption—recruiters and managers don’t use it. The fix is a choosability mindset: focus on priority talent segments, define a sharp position, attach proof, and embed it into job posts, outreach, interviews, and offers with templates and talk tracks. An EVP isn’t a poster—it’s a performance asset.