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How to Write a Job Description

Crafting a compelling job description is essential to helping you attract the most qualified candidates for your job. With more than 20 million jobs listed on Indeed, a great job description can help your job opening stand out from the rest. Your job descriptions are where you start marketing your company and your job across multiple job boards to your future employee.

The key to writing effective job descriptions and job postings is to find the perfect balance between providing enough detail so qualified candidates understand the role and your company while keeping your description concise.

Hiring managers and Human Resources professionals can use the tips, sample job descriptions, and job description examples below to create a compelling job listing.

 

What Is a Job Description?

A job description summarises the essential job responsibilities, job duties, activities, preferred qualifications and skills for a person’s role. Also known as a JD, job descriptions describe the type of work performed.

A job description should include important company details — company mission, culture and any benefits it provides to employees. It may also specify to whom the position reports (team leader/senior management) and salary range.

When you write a job description and effective job advertisement, it should provide enough detail for candidates to determine if they’re qualified for the position.

 

Job Title

Make your job titles specific. Targeted job titles are more effective than generic ones. So, pick a precise job title for your job posting that includes key phrases that accurately describe the role.

When creating job descriptions, avoid internal jargon that may confuse the job seeker. Stick to standard experience levels like “Senior” rather than “VI” or other terms people are less likely to look for.

Keep the job title concise. Our data for job ads shows job titles with 80 characters or less receive more clicks.

 

Job Summary

Job descriptions should open with a strong, attention-grabbing summary. Your summary should provide an overview of your company and expectations for the position.

A job posting should hook your reader with details about what makes your company unique. Your job description is an introduction to your company and your employer brand. Include details about your company culture to sum up why a successful candidate would love to work for you. 82% of job seekers in the UK rated a brief company description as important information to see in a job description.

When you write a job description, include an exact job location. Provide an exact job location to optimise your job posting so it appears higher in job search results.

Candidates expect for job descriptions to include details about work hours/environment. 94% of job seekers in the UK rated work hours and schedule information as important to see in a job description. Additionally, 83% of job seekers in the UK rated work environment details as key information in a job description.

 

Responsibilities and Duties

Outline the core roles and responsibilities of the position and job purpose. Make sure your list of key responsibilities is detailed but concise. Also emphasise the duties that may be unique to your organisation. For example, if you are hiring for an “Event Management” role, the roles and responsibilities of the position requires social media expertise to promote events, include this detail to ensure candidates understand the job requirements and can determine if they are a qualified job seeker for the job title.

Job descriptions should highlight the day-to-day activities of the position. This will help candidates understand the work environment and the activities they will be exposed to on a daily basis. This level of detail in your job descriptions will help the candidate determine if the role and company suit their profile, helping you attract the best candidates for your position.

Also, your job descriptions should specify how the position fits into the organisation. Indicate who the person reports to and how they will function within your organisation, helping candidates see the bigger picture and understand how the role impacts the business and the company’s success. 

Ask, does the individual have supervisory responsibility or other duties, whom the role reports, and where the position sits in the organisational structure.Our job description examples provide an outline of job roles and responsibilities, which will help any hiring manager prepare job descriptions for an effective recruitment process.

 

Role and Tasks

The role and tasks section of job descriptions provide a detailed breakdown of the daily tasks, roles, and responsibilities of the job. This section of the position description is essential in helping candidates determine if the role suits their skills and experience.

Job descriptions should outline the major responsibilities and job duties of the position in clear and concise language. Be sure to emphasise any daily duties that may be unique to your daily operations. For example, suppose you are hiring for an “Technical Support” role and the essential functions of the position require problem-solving skills to advise on software application issues. In that case, include these job duties and required skills to ensure prospective employees have an understanding of the role the person plays and how it is crucial to overall success in the position.

Providing this information helps suitable candidates visualise their job purpose, roles, and responsibilities in the company, which can increase their motivation to apply for the job. An effective job description template includes example tasks, job duties, job purpose, roles and responsibilities to help your hiring process and secure the interest of suitable candidates.

 

Qualifications and Skills

Include a list of must have skills for completing the role’s main duties, including hard and soft skills. Of course, the job description should specify education, required qualifications, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills required for the role. You may also include soft skills, which are desirable skills, like verbal communication skills, business administration, customer service skills, project management (management positions), and problem solving, as well as personality traits that you envision for a successful employee.

Keep your list of required qualifications concise. While you may be tempted to list every requirement you envision for your ideal employee, including too many qualifications and skills could dissuade potential candidates from engaging in your hiring process. Our job description examples include relevant skills and qualifications for specific jobs.

 

Salary and Benefits

Salary and benefits are important factors that can influence a candidate’s decision to apply for a job and good job description templates include a space for these. It is essential to provide a clear and competitive salary range in the job description to attract the best-fit candidates. While you don’t need to disclose the exact salary, providing a range based on industry standards can help set expectations.

  • Clearly state the salary range to attract quality candidates.
  • Consider offering a competitive salary to remain competitive in the job market.
  • Be willing to negotiate on salary to secure the best candidate for the job.
  • Keep in mind that salary isn’t the only factor that candidates consider when deciding on a job offer.
  • Regularly review and adjust salaries to ensure they remain competitive with industry standards.

Tips for Writing Job Descriptions

  • Add the job title. People doing the same job in different companies or across different industries might be referred to differently.
  • Clearly state in the opening sentences what the role entails. If you don’t know the answer, ask someone who does. Don’t guess!
  • List the duties and responsibilities of the role, making sure they are accurate and up-to-date.
  • Provide information on any essential qualifications, skills, or other key requirements.
  • Detail measurable and specific examples of success within the role.
  • Give information on the reporting structure of the role.
  • Include salary information.
  • Ensure everyone involved, such as the line manager, the managing director, HR, etc., is in agreement with what you have detailed in the job description.

Overall, a well-written job description is crucial for attracting the right candidates and ensuring that they have a clear understanding of what the role entails. So take the time to write a great job description, or use our AI job description tool to create one that’s sure to impress!

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