What is a Great Job Description?
Writing a job description may not seem that complicated, but knowing how to write a job description isn’t just a matter of intuition. If you want a job description that really stands out, you’ll need to know how to communicate essential information about the role, as well as which details potential new hires are interested in knowing. Plus, it pays to be familiar with technical details like the recommended length and formatting. By communicating with clarity, detail, and attention to candidates’ preferences, your job description will help you get the results you’re looking for.
Essential Components of a Job Description
Job Title and Purpose
Even though a unique job description can help you stand out from the competition, the job title isn’t the best place for originality. Why? Because when candidates are searching for jobs, they aren’t putting in hyper-specific keywords – they’re using broad search terms to get as many relevant results as possible. Make sure to include the title of the role, and the type of company or industry if applicable. As an example, a job title like “Software Engineer for E-Commerce Company” will show up in more search results than “Looking for a Rockstar Team Member who Loves Coding.” Just below the title, the “Purpose” section of the job description will give candidates a brief overview of the position, in up to four concise sentences. Ideally, it will also serve as a “hook” to get qualified job searchers to keep reading.
Duties and Responsibilities
When describing the responsibilities that come with the role, it’s important to be detailed without writing walls of text. This could potentially be one of the longest sections of the job description, depending on how detailed it is. Here are some examples of what could be included:
- General list of job duties.
- Who the employee will supervise, and/or who will supervise the employee.
- Decision-making responsibilities of the role.
- Goals that the employee will be asked to achieve.
Required Qualifications
Almost every job has a minimum list of requirements, and this section is where they belong in a job description. Required qualifications could include training, certifications, degrees, experience, skills, or even personal qualities. Whether you need prospective candidates to have experience in a certain industry, know how to use a specific type of software, or simply show up on time, make sure you’re clear about any non-negotiable qualifications that a new hire needs to have. Try to be concise, but also ensure that you don’t sound aggressive or negative.
Preferred Qualifications
If there are qualifications that you’d like but don’t need, they can be included in this section. This will help identify candidates who are the best fit for the job, without excluding anybody who could turn out to be a hidden gem.
Writing Clear and Inclusive Job Descriptions
Action-Oriented Language
Using dynamic wording is a great way to communicate your motivation for finding the right candidate, and can add detail without making the job description too long. Here are some examples of words that can energize a job description:
- Delegate
- Audit
- Collaborate
- Motivate
- Acquire
- Negotiate
- Forecast
- Appraise
- Calculate
- Identify
- Consolidate
- Configure
- Verify
Avoiding Ambiguity
Industry buzzwords or technical jargon may make sense for the person writing the job description, but they don’t necessarily help the people reading it. Rather than mentioning a “competitive benefits package,” list some of the most popular employee benefits that are offered. Instead of asking for a multi-tasker, specify the roles that the employee will be expected to fulfill. The more direct your job description is, the less time you’ll spend sifting through applications that aren’t actually what you’re looking for.
Concise Structure
The structure of a job description is one of the first things a candidate notices – and if they see a wall of text, they’re less likely to take the time to read it. Try to keep paragraphs on the short side, and use bullet points to condense information into bite-sized pieces. This can help keep potential applicants engaged, and make the information easier to understand.
Engaging Potential Candidates
Compelling Company Overview
This is how potential candidates will be introduced to your organization, and it’s a great opportunity to showcase why they’d want to work for you. Consider mentioning things like the company’s culture, ethos, history, notable achievements, or any other relevant information that can fit into one to three brief sentences.
Highlighting Employee Benefits
The majority of employees say that a company’s benefits package is just as important, if not more so, than their pay rates. Regardless of the benefits your company offers, make sure to include them in the job description. Examples of popular benefits include:
- Medical, vision, or dental coverage
- Paid time off
- Retirement savings plans
- Flexible hours
- Hybrid or remote work
- On-site perks like meals, snacks, or green spaces
Showcasing Organizational Structure
Organizational structure can play a major role in an employee’s workplace experience. Describing how your company is structured helps potential candidates decide whether or not the job could be a good fit for them, and can reduce the number of irrelevant applications as well.
Adapting Job Descriptions for Diverse Recruitment Needs
Optimizing Job Posts for Various Platforms
In order to reach more prospective new hires, many companies opt to post job descriptions on multiple online platforms. In this case, it’s best to create a customized version for each platform. If you already know how to write a LinkedIn job description, you probably won’t need to change much when posting to an online job board. But if you’ll be uploading the job description to social media, it may be helpful to reduce the word count or formatting without significantly altering the content.
Integrating Inclusive Language
There are plenty of benefits to using inclusive language, not least because it prevents you from inadvertently alienating potential applicants. It can also demonstrate your company’s commitment to building an inclusive company culture, helping establish a positive first impression. Here are some examples of how to use inclusive language:
- Avoid gender-specific pronouns when describing your ideal candidate. Addressing the applicants directly (“you”) or in the third person (“they”) are easy ways to accommodate everyone.
- Use wording that doesn’t imply a specific age, avoiding phrases like “digital native” or “high-energy.” Instead, try focusing on the experience level or results that you’d like to see.
- Instead of a phrase like “must be a team player,” which can be perceived as having a negative tone, you could switch it to “our ideal candidate is a team player.”
Continuously Refining with Feedback
Even if your job description is getting a good response, feedback from applicants could improve your results even more. Candidate feedback surveys can help identify weaknesses or errors, while letting you improve your understanding of how to write a job description.
FAQs for Writing Job Descriptions
How detailed should job descriptions be?
In general, more detail is better – to an extent. The more details you include, the fewer unqualified applications you’ll need to weed out later. Knowing how to write a job description with plenty of detail also shows that you prioritize communication, since you’ve made sure to let applicants know what to expect. On the other hand, readability is a priority too. You won’t be able to include every bit of detail without making the job description too long, which can discourage candidates from even giving it a second glance. There could also be details that aren’t shared until later on in the hiring process, such as confidential or proprietary information.
What is the optimum length for a job description?
The general recommendation is to keep job descriptions between 300 and 600 words. This is typically long enough to include key information, without losing the readers’ attention. Bullet points are a great way to condense information without losing detail, as well as making the text look more organized, if you’re looking to shorten the posting.
Should job descriptions include pay rates?
This depends on which factors are more of a priority for your organization. For instance, you may want to include pay rates because most candidates like to see them in a job description. However, you may prefer that competitors can’t see what you’re paying for certain positions. Whether or not you include pay rates in the job description is ultimately up to you.
How many employee benefits should be listed?
While employee benefits should definitely be included in a job description, there may not be room to include all of them. If that’s the case, focus on the benefits that provide the most value to employees, and be specific. Things like healthcare insurance, paid time off, and retirement plans are some of the most popular employee benefits. If applicable, you should also consider mentioning less tangible benefits like flexible schedules or career development opportunities.
What are common mistakes to avoid when writing a job description?
When it comes to knowing how to write a job description, there are certain mistakes that should always be avoided. These include:
- Spelling or grammatical errors
- Vague or inaccurate information
- Wrong format for the platform
- Formatting that’s confusing or unclear
- Making the job description too short or long
Who should be in charge of writing job descriptions?
The person in charge of writing job descriptions could be someone in a managerial role, or an employee who gets a supervisor’s approval before uploading it. Employees will probably know how to write a job description for a resume, but since supervisors tend to know more about what each role entails, they’re more likely to know how to write a job description for prospective new hires.
