An effective job description is the foundation of any hiring process. It attracts qualified candidates, sets realistic expectations for the role, and establishes a good first impression. Hiring teams also use job descriptions to refine the search process by making it clear what type of person is best suited for each position.
The job search platform, Indeed, alone has more than 25 million job listings, and more than half of potential candidates say the quality of the job description had a major impact on their decision to apply.
In other words, writing an engaging job description is one of the best things you can do for your company. In this article, we’ll delve into how a job description impacts the recruiting process, what you should include, job posting best practices, and how to optimize your listing for SEO.
Understanding job descriptions
A job description is a document that outlines the primary responsibilities, necessary qualifications and skills, and expectations of potential candidates. It should be considered a big part of your company’s marketing to the workforce.
Every job description should include four parts:
1
A compelling summary of your company and its mission
2
A clear job title and summary
3
Job specifications, which include responsibilities and duties, plus key qualifications and skills of the desired candidate
4
Compensation
Some job descriptions are substantial, stand-alone documents; others are shorter. Either way, since many candidates are likely looking at countless job descriptions a day, it’s important to make yours scanable and easy to understand. This can be achieved by using headers, bulleted lists, and concise, plain language.
Every job description should have clear job specifications, which might sound like the same thing. While the two terms often overlap, there are differences. A job description is an entire document or body of text that describes the job and the expectations for a particular role, whereas a job specification outlines the needed education, experience, and traits the ideal candidate should have to succeed in the position.
Job specifications are used in a job description to give candidates an idea of whether they’re qualified for the role and to establish standards for the recruiting team when selecting candidates.
4 essentials of an effective job description
1
A compelling summary of your company
The best job descriptions attract candidates who are excited about the company and its mission. The top of your job description should hook top talent with a brief summary of your company and how it stands out in the market. Here are a few things to consider including in the first few paragraphs of your job description.
- Your company’s mission
- A brief history, such as when it was founded and why
- Company values
- Recent accolades or accomplishments
- Company-specific challenges or context for the role
- How your company works, such as whether and how it supports remote work
As an example, here’s information Grammarly includes before getting into the specifics of a role:
Grammarly is excited to offer a remote-first hybrid working model. Team members work primarily remotely in the United States, Canada, Ukraine, Germany, or Poland. Certain roles have specific location requirements to facilitate collaboration at a particular Grammarly hub.…
Grammarly is the world’s leading AI writing assistance company trusted by over 30 million people and 70,000 professional teams every day. From instantly creating a first draft to perfecting every message, Grammarly’s product offerings help people at 96% of the Fortune 500 get their point across—and get results. Grammarly has been profitable for over a decade because we’ve stayed true to our values and built an enterprise-grade product that’s secure, reliable, and helps people do their best work—without selling their data. We’re proud to be one of Inc.’s best workplaces, a Glassdoor Best Place to Work, one of Time’s 100 Most Influential Companies, and one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in AI.
2
Clear job title and summary of the role
Indeed states that more than a third of job applicants find job roles by searching for their desired job title. For that reason, you should use specific language when creating a job title and avoid using company lingo. Be sure to keep the title short—ideally one to four words—and in the summary use key phrases, such as programs or experience required for the role.
For example, the job title “Magazine Editor” is more specific than “Editor.” It tells the applicant you’re looking for someone with experience in the magazine industry. Another example is using “Senior Developer” rather than “Developer.” This tells less-experienced applicants that the role is not for them, attracts more qualified developers to your listing, and encourages them to apply.
The job summary is a short paragraph that summarizes the role’s responsibilities and expectations, including who the candidate will work with. Think of it as your elevator pitch, hooking someone into reading more about the role and hopefully enticing them to apply.
Your job summary should clarify whether the position is in-person or remote. If it’s the former, include where the job will be located to prevent people outside your area from applying.
Here’s an example of a clear job title and summary in a job description:
Senior Accountant
To achieve our ambitious goals, the company is looking for a Senior Accountant to oversee all financial records and strategies. The accountant will work alongside and report to the Controller to prepare tax returns and balance accounts payable and receivable. This is a remote role with opportunities to grow into an executive position.
3
Job specifications
Job specifications are twofold: they include bulleted details about the role’s responsibilities or activities and the qualifications or skills of the desired applicants.
Role responsibilities
This list should be detailed but concise and give applicants an idea of how they’ll be spending the majority of their time, what their day-to-day activities would look like, and if there are any company-specific duties.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when writing a job’s responsibilities.
- Clarify the frequency of certain tasks.
- Provide expected outcomes.
- Detail when and where the candidate will be responsible for certain decisions.
- Tell them if they’ll manage any workers.
- Name the other teams the candidate is expected to work with.
- Write in complete sentences.
When listing the job’s responsibilities, start with the most important or frequent task and go down the list in order of frequency or importance. Some recruiters detail the percentage of time each task takes up, adding up to 100 percent. You don’t need to list everything that a worker might do during the day, but be sure to include the most important ones.
This list can be used during performance reviews to determine whether the person has done what is required of them and whether they have met certain expectations detailed in the job description.
Here’s an example of a bulleted list of responsibilities and duties that could be used in a job description for a senior accountant.
- Assist with tax returns and audits.
- Reconcile accounts payable and receivable at the end of every month.
- Manage accounting interns and bookkeepers.
- Help set financial forecasts.
- Work with Controller, Financial Manager, and Accounting Manager on company-wide financial procedures.
- Ensure GAAP compliance.
Qualifications and skills
This list should contain information on the education, certifications, experience, and skills of ideal candidates. There are two types of qualifications: must-have and nice-to-have.
Must-have qualifications, such as licenses or degrees, are nonnegotiable. Candidates who do not have these qualifications will not be considered for the job. Be sure to clarify which qualifications or skills are required, to save otherwise qualified candidates from applying—this can save time for them and for your company.
Nice-to-have qualifications are skills or traits that can put the candidate ahead of other applicants. Lacking these won’t necessarily eliminate the person from consideration.
Finally, include any desired soft skills such as communication styles, time management, leadership qualities, empathy, and interpersonal skills.
Here’s an example list of qualifications and skills that can be used in a job description for a senior accountant.
- Knowledge of accounting best practices
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting or a similar concentration
- Strong analytical skills
- Well organized
- Can break down complex financial lingo into simple English
- Must be a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant
- Experience with FreshBooks a plus, but not required
4
Compensation
Although not always included in a job description, some cities and states now require employers to list a salary range in their job descriptions. Additionally, high-quality candidates are more likely to apply for a role if it meets their salary expectations and needs.
A useful guideline is to include a salary range of about $15,000, since final compensation will probably depend on the candidate’s education, experience, and location. You should also list any other perks or benefits offered by your company, including:
- Total days of personal time off
- Sick day policy
- Whether you offer medical, dental, and vision insurance
- In-office perks, if applicable (such as coffee bars, snacks, games, etc.)
- Any reimbursements offered by the company (such as tuition, gym membership, etc.)
Writing techniques for job descriptions
1
Avoid company lingo. Use terms that anyone in the field can understand, so as to attract people with industry knowledge.
2
Use gender-neutral terms and inclusive language. Inclusive language helps attract the best people for the job and is one way to curb discriminatory hiring practices.
3
Write in the active voice. Precise verbs and active voice make writing more alive and exciting, which in turn will make the role sound more appealing.
4
Consider industry standards when deciding on word count. Research shows that the type of job should affect the word count. Communications-based applicants preferred listings under 750 words, while people in law and education were more likely to click on longer postings.
5
Have multiple stakeholders review the job description. Ask the hiring manager and others who work closely with the role to weigh in to ensure the description thoroughly matches the needs of the company and the team.
6
Proofread and revise. Make sure your descriptions are well crafted and mistake-free.
Optimizing job descriptions for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Optimizing your job description for SEO makes sure candidates can find you. SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it’s what helps get your website and pages found by people on the internet.
SEO writing revolves around using keywords or certain terms that people search for on the internet. Continuing with the senior accountant example, someone looking for such a role might search for senior accountant jobs or senior accountant jobs in Chicago. You can find résumé keywords and other phrases to include in your job description through SEO services such as Google Trends and Semrush.
Identify which terms are most important to the role and include them in your job listing.
Pro tip: You can prompt Grammarly’s generative AI to optimize your content for SEO. Just tell Grammarly what keywords to include.
Online posting strategies
When posting a job description online, be sure to post it at a time when most applicants are likely to be online looking for jobs. Avoid posting right before weekends or major holidays, as people are less likely to be online at these times. Repost the position every two weeks, if needed, to ensure you’re obtaining maximum visibility and getting a fresh pool of applicants.
After the job description is posted, reach out on social media and job boards to showcase your listing. Use proper hashtags so potential candidates can easily find your entry, and if you find a possible hire, be sure to play it up on LinkedIn or other networks—this will encourage others to follow your company.
Key takeaways
Writing an effective job description may take time, but it can save both you and your potential hires energy by clarifying essential responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations for the role. A well-written job description tells candidates what type of experience they should have and gives them a good idea of their day-to-day responsibilities.
Here are a few key points to keep in mind when drafting a job listing:
- Include the job title and summary, key responsibilities and duties, qualifications and skills, and total compensation.
- Use the active voice, precise verbs, and simple words.
- Highlight your company culture and values.
- Be transparent and realistic with your expectations for the role.
- Optimize the job listing for SEO to increase its visibility.
- Run it through a spell-checker to check for typos.
Job description FAQs
How often should job descriptions be updated?
Job descriptions should be updated at least once a year, or whenever the key responsibilities or qualifications for the role change.
Can one job description fit multiple platforms?
Optimizing job descriptions for specific platforms and job boards increases your chances of your role being found by qualified candidates. Pro tip: Ask Grammarly’s generative AI to adapt your job description for each platform to save yourself time.
What are common mistakes to avoid in writing job descriptions?
Common mistakes include using internal company lingo, providing too many or not enough details, and not writing in complete sentences.
How to measure the effectiveness of a job description
Your job description’s effectiveness can be measured in two ways: whether it attracts qualified candidates and how well the chosen applicants succeed in the role. The latter can be done at a hire’s performance review to see if they achieved the tasks and expectations set out in the job description.