How to Effectively 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 25 million jobs listed on Indeed, a great job description can help your jobs stand out from the rest. Your job descriptions are where you start marketing your company and your job to your future hire.

The key to writing effective job descriptions is to find the perfect balance between providing enough detail so candidates understand the role and your company while keeping your description concise. We’ve found that job descriptions between 700 and 2,000 characters get up to 30% more applications.

Use the tips and sample job descriptions below to create a compelling job listing that enhances the candidate experience.

What Is a Job Description?

A job description summarizes the essential responsibilities, activities, qualifications and skills for a role. Also know as a JD, this document describes 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 and salary range.

An effective job description will 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 be precise by including key phrases that accurately describe the role.

Avoid internal lingo 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.

Job Summary

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

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 candidate would love to work for you.

Include an exact job location. Provide an exact job location to optimize your job posting so it appears higher in job search results.

Responsibilities and Duties

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

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 will help the candidate determine if the role and company are a right fit, helping you attract the best candidates for your position.

Specify how the position fits into the organization. Indicate who the job reports to and how the person will function within your organization, helping candidates see the bigger picture and understand how the role impacts the business.

Qualifications and Skills

Include a list of hard and soft skills. Of course, the job description should specify education, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills required for the role. You may also include soft skills, like communication and problem solving, as well as personality traits that you envision for a successful hire.

Keep your list concise. While you may be tempted to list out every requirement you envision for your ideal hire, including too many qualifications and skills could dissuade potential candidates.