How to Write a Job Description: Examples & Best Practices

A hiring manager who lacks background in recruiting not always knows for sure how to write a job description and may waste time and resources on a surplus of unqualified applicants.

Conversely, well-written job descriptions help professional hiring teams filter candidates and are must-haves for permanent recruitment solutions.

Before attributing bad hires to a lack of talent in the market or poor candidate performance, experiment with a job description ⬇️

Pick Structured Job Description Example

Most people try to find a pre-made job description example before writing their own. In fact, many turn to AI tools to generate job description templates. While this approach can save time, relying solely on pre-made examples can lead to missing crucial details.

No matter how polished your job description example looks, it’s essential to review and customize it to ensure it includes everything necessary for the role and aligns with your company's needs.

What to Include in a Job Description?

Set clear expectations and, as a result, attract the right candidates! By meticulously incorporating the elements below, you make it easier for potential candidates to choose or reject your offering.

Job Title

The job title must be recognizable and commonly used in the industry to ensure it resonates with potential candidates. Avoid creative or vague titles, some of them sound confusing to applicants.

• Ineffective Title
• Effective Title
• Marketing Ninja
• Digital Marketing Specialist
• Sales Guru
• Sales Representative
• Software Engineer
• Front-End Developer (React & TypeScript)
• Job Summary
• This section should give candidates a quick idea of what to expect.
• Ineffective Summary
• Effective Summary

We are looking for a Software Engineer to join our team. You will be responsible for developing software, fixing bugs, and collaborating with other team members.

We’re looking for a Front-End Developer with expertise in React and TypeScript to build dynamic interfaces for our growing SaaS platform.

Experience, Responsibilities and Duties

When writing job descriptions, clearly outline primary tasks and responsibilities. Enhance readability by using bullet points. Begin each point with a strong action verb.

Example

What You'll Do:

Develop and maintain web applications using React, TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS.

Collaborate with designers to bring UI/UX mockups to life with pixel-perfect precision.

Optimize applications for speed, scalability, and accessibility.

Write clean, maintainable code and contribute to our component library.

Work with backend developers to integrate APIs and improve app performance.

Qualifications and Skills

Start with essential and preferred criteria and specify frameworks and software you use within your projects.

Example:

What We’re Looking For:

4+ years of experience in front-end development.

Strong proficiency in JavaScript (ES6+), TypeScript, and React.

Familiarity with Vite, Webpack, Babel and other modern build tools.

Experience working with RESTful APIs and state management solutions (Redux, Zustand).

• Salary and Benefits

Being open about pay shows fairness and makes the job more appealing.

Example:

"Competitive salary ranging from $50,000 to $60,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include health coverage, retirement plans, and paid leave."

• Reporting Structure

Clarify the role's position in the company.

Example:

"The Front-End Developer will report directly to the Lead Developer and collaborate closely with UI/UX designers and backend engineers."

Location

Specify the job's location, including any remote work options, business trips or requirements to relocate. This information is crucial for candidates considering the logistical aspects of the role.

• Working Conditions

Provide details about the workplace setting, including physical requirements, and work schedule.

Styling and Tone of Voice for Writing a Job Description

A well-crafted job description evokes a feeling about the company, subtly influencing how a candidate perceives the role and work environment. Job descriptions with engaging, human-centric language receive more applications than overly formal or robotic. More than a half of job seekers abandon applications when descriptions are vague or overly complex. So, how to style your job description?

Clarity and Conciseness

Use simple language so the job description is clear. Avoid jargon or complicated sentences.

Example:

"Collaborate with team members to develop marketing strategies."

• Positive and Engaging Tone

Adopt a welcoming and enthusiastic tone that reflects the company's culture and encourages candidates to apply.

Example:

"Join our dynamic team to innovate and drive success in the digital marketplace."

Inclusivity

Ensure the language is inclusive, avoiding gender-specific terms or phrases that might deter certain groups.

Example:

"We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences."

• Active Voice

Utilize active voice to make sentences more direct and impactful.

Example:

"Manage social media campaigns" instead of "Social media campaigns will be managed."

• Consistency

Use bullet points, the same font style and size throughout your job description, clear headings, and consistent terminology.

Concerns About Writing Job Descriptions with AI

If you are writing job descriptions with AI, get ready to face 4 main risks.

1. Generic, Uninspiring Language

AI-generated descriptions often lack the unique voice of a company. A bland job posting won’t stand out in a competitive job market.

2. Missing Key Role-Specific Details

AI can provide a structure, but it might overlook company-specific needs, cultural aspects, or niche industry requirements. For instance, a job description for a software engineer may fail to highlight the exact tech stack required, leading to mismatched applicants.

3. Potential Bias in AI-Generated Content

AI learns from past data, so it can repeat biases from old job postings. Keep in mind that job descriptions with gender-coded language (e.g., “competitive” or “dominant”) reduce applications from women by up to 50%.

4. Legal & Compliance Risks

AI may not be updated on current employment laws, leading to descriptions that contain unintentional discrimination or legal missteps. Some regions have salary transparency laws—an AI tool might not automatically include this, exposing companies to compliance risks.

After all, AI can be a helpful assistant in drafting job descriptions, but it should never replace human oversight.

Who Must Review a Job Description and Why

Who should review a job description?

• Hiring Manager – Defines the role’s responsibilities and requirements.
• HR Team or Recruiters – Ensures compliance with hiring best practices and legal considerations.
• Department Head – Confirms alignment with team objectives and company needs.
• Diversity & Inclusion Officer (if available) – Checks for bias-free language to attract a diverse talent pool.

Why should a job description go through approval stages?

• It prevents miscommunication – Ensures all stakeholders agree on role expectations.
• It reduces hiring mistakes – Avoids attracting underqualified or overqualified candidates.
• It ensures legal compliance – Minimizes risk of discriminatory or misleading language.
• It enhances hiring efficiency – Speeds up candidate selection by providing clear expectations.

A rushed, unchecked job description can lead to hiring the wrong person, increasing turnover rates and recruitment costs. So, take it serious!