How to Write a Job Description

When your business has a staff vacancy that needs to be filled as quickly as possible, it will behoove you to fill it with the most qualified applicant available. A compelling job description is a key to attracting the most desirable candidates and, with that, ensuring your turnover rate stays low and efficiency in the workplace remains high.

Tips for Writing a Good Job Description

You must include some key aspects when writing a job description. Good job description examples should contain the following elements:

• Job/Position title
  
• A summary of the role
  
• Duties of the job
  
• Required skills
  
• Preferred skills
  
• Time frame requirements
  
• Location details
  
• Work environment conditions
  
• Compensation
  
• Company mission
  
• A call to action
  
• Any disclaimer statements
  

Regardless of the specific information you include, it all must be very clear and concise. You must make sure that candidates gain a good sense of exactly what having the position will be like before spending time, money, and effort on their onboarding.

Job/Position Title

When people enter new jobs with a vague idea of what the position entails, the chances for turnover increase. Every time you lose an employee and have to find a replacement, it costs your business money. 

Be clear and concise with the job title. According to Indeed.com, 36% of people search online for job titles that are familiar to them, so don’t wander away from common industry terms.

Side note: Indeed gets over 250 million visitors each month— learn how to post your first job on Indeed here.

A Summary of the Role

In three to five sentences, include a summary of what they will do in the role, who they will work with, and the general qualities you are looking for in a candidate. General qualities might include “deadline-oriented” or “self-motivated.” 

Specify if they will be working with the editorial team, the research team, or working closely with the accounting department, for example.

Duties of the Job

This part of a job description is best presented as a bulleted list. You will want to include at least five bullet points describing what the hired candidate will do in their role. Write in concise, complete sentences, but be thorough, too. 

Required Skills

Make sure to include five to seven skills that are absolutely necessary for a candidate to possess in order to be considered for employment. This list usually includes years of experience, application requirements like a writing sample, resume, cover letter, or portfolio, and any academic or professional education or training needed.

Skills that are Preferred, but not Required

Although this section isn’t necessarily a must-have component of a job description, you might consider including it because it can help candidates know where in their applications and interviews they might stand out from others. 

Time Frame Requirements

Always be upfront and specific about the time frame during which you’ll need employees to work. Specify if time zones play a role or not, if flexible work hours are acceptable, or if they must be there between specific hours.

Location Details

If traveling will occasionally be involved, say so. If traveling is constantly needed, include that information, too. Candidates will need to consider commute times or relocation scenarios, so you need to help them conclude whether they will be a good fit for the location requirements.

Work Environment Conditions

Let job seekers know a bit about the atmosphere they will enter each day for work. Will they be in an office? Exposed to machinery? On a warehouse floor? On their feet all day? Seekers want to visualize themselves at the workplace before putting forth the effort to apply, interview, and go forward.

Compensation

Most people consider compensation details the most important information to include when writing a job description. Candidates must be able to gauge whether they can support their families and their lifestyles with the payroll you are offering, and they need to know that information right from the start.

Company Mission

In fewer than five sentences, highlight the culture codes and core values of your company. You can include information about what kind of a company it is or its main purpose, but remember that candidates can read your full profile on your website if they are interested, so be brief. 

Call to Action

This call is the part of the description where you tell them to “fill out an application” today or “email your resume and cover letter” to a specific email address. Encourage applicants to take action in pursuit of the position.

Disclaimers

Disclaimers should include information about being an equal opportunity employer in addition to any details about the candidate possibly having to perform additional job tasks beyond what is in the initial description. This section is important to avoid potential lawsuits down the road.