How to Write a Job Description

How to Write a Job Description

Writing a job description sounds simple—until you actually sit down to do it.

Too often, job descriptions are rushed, copied from old templates, or written without a clear hiring goal. The result? The wrong candidates apply, strong candidates skip the role, and hiring takes longer than it should.

A well-written job description does more than list responsibilities. It sets expectations, attracts the right talent, and becomes the foundation for a smoother hiring process—especially when paired with the right hiring tools.

This guide explains how to write a job description that is clear, practical, and effective.

What Makes a Good Job Description?

A good job description does three things well:

• It explains why the role exists
• It clearly defines what success looks like
• It helps candidates self-select

In growing teams, job descriptions are often reused across roles and departments. That’s why consistency matters. When job descriptions are structured and stored in one place, hiring teams can move faster and stay aligned—especially when managing multiple openings at once.

How to Write a Good Job Description (Step by Step)

1. Start with a clear job title

Use titles candidates actually search for. Clear titles improve visibility and reduce irrelevant applications.

When hiring at scale, standardizing job titles across teams also makes it easier to track roles, applications, and performance later in the hiring funnel.

2. Write a short role summary

This section answers one question:

Why does this role exist?

In 2–3 sentences, describe:

• The purpose of the role
• Who the role works with
• How it contributes to the business

Think clarity, not marketing language.

Job Description Duties and Responsibilities

This is where most candidates decide whether to apply.

Best practices:

• Focus on core responsibilities
• Use bullet points
• Keep expectations realistic

Example:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver projects
• Own specific outcomes rather than vague tasks
• Report progress to relevant stakeholders

Clear responsibilities also make it easier for hiring managers to evaluate candidates consistently during interviews—especially when interview workflows are structured around role expectations.

Skills and Qualifications (Be Precise)

Overloading this section is one of the most common mistakes.

Instead:

• Separate must-have from nice-to-have
• Avoid inflated experience requirements
• Focus on skills that truly matter for the role

Clear qualifications help reduce mismatched applications and improve screening accuracy—something that becomes especially important when applications start scaling.

Job Description Examples

Here’s a simple example that balances clarity and tone.

Role: Content Writer

Role Summary:
We’re looking for a content writer who can create clear, useful content for our website and blog. You’ll work closely with the marketing team to turn ideas into well-structured articles.

Key Responsibilities:

• Write and edit blog posts and landing pages
• Research industry-related topics
• Update existing content for clarity and relevance

Requirements:

• Strong writing skills
• Ability to explain complex ideas simply
• Basic understanding of SEO

When job descriptions like this are consistently used across roles, they can be easily reused, refined, and published across multiple channels without starting from scratch each time.

Job Description Template (Reusable Structure)

A simple structure you can reuse:

• Job Title
• Role Summary
• Duties and Responsibilities
• Skills and Qualifications
• Location / Work Type

Teams that centralize these templates often find it easier to collaborate, maintain consistency, and track which job descriptions perform best over time.

Common Job Description Mistakes to Avoid

• Writing overly long descriptions
• Using internal jargon
• Copy-pasting without context
• Setting unrealistic expectations
• Forgetting the candidate’s perspective

These mistakes don’t just affect applications—they slow down the entire hiring process.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to write a job description is about clarity, structure, and intent.

When job descriptions are written well and managed efficiently:

• Hiring becomes faster
• Candidate quality improves
• Interviewing becomes more structured
• Teams stay aligned

Strong job descriptions are the starting point of good hiring—and when combined with tools that help manage, publish, and track them effectively, they become even more powerful.