How to Write Job Descriptions That Attract the Right Candidates

A job description should help a qualified person decide whether the work fits them and help the hiring team assess applicants against the same role. It is not an internal wish list, a copy of the previous employee’s profile or a place to describe the company in superlatives.

Begin with the reason the role exists

Before writing, ask the manager what outcome the role owns. “Support the sales team” is too broad; “prepare weekly pipeline reports, maintain CRM records and coordinate proposal deadlines” gives candidates a view of the work. For a replacement, check whether the responsibilities have changed. For a new role, identify which tasks are currently unowned and what should improve after hiring.

Write a two- or three-sentence role summary covering the purpose, reporting line and main scope. Avoid describing every role as strategic, dynamic or fast-paced. Those words do not tell an applicant what decisions they will make.

Separate responsibilities from activities

Group related work into five to eight responsibilities. Start each with a direct verb and include the object or result: “reconcile monthly attendance inputs before payroll cut-off” is clearer than “handle attendance”. Include frequency or scale only when it helps—such as monthly payroll for 300 employees or recruitment across three locations.

Do not paste an entire process manual into the vacancy. Routine steps can be discussed later. The description should show the major areas of accountability, important relationships and any genuine shift, travel, location or physical requirements.

Define requirements that can be assessed

Mark each requirement essential or desirable. An essential criterion should be necessary on joining, connected to the work and capable of being checked through an application, interview or assessment. Challenge degree, industry and years-of-experience rules that are included only because they appeared in an old description.

Translate vague traits into evidence. Instead of “excellent communication”, specify whether the person must write client updates, conduct employee conversations or present analysis to senior managers. Replace “team player” with the cross-functional work the role actually requires.

State employment information plainly

Candidates need the location, work arrangement, employment type, reporting relationship, expected schedule and selection stages. Where the employer can publish a salary range, the range should reflect the approved budget rather than an artificially wide figure. If compensation cannot be published, recruiters should still align expectations early.

Use inclusive, readable language

Remove gender-coded assumptions, unnecessary age signals and requirements unrelated to performance. Describe accessibility-relevant demands precisely rather than using phrases such as “must be energetic”. Provide a route for candidates to request a reasonable adjustment during selection.

Keep sentences short and explain internal abbreviations. A candidate should not need knowledge of the company’s organisation chart to understand the vacancy.

Review before publishing

• Can the manager name the three most important outcomes?
• Can every essential requirement be assessed?
• Do the title and seniority match the actual authority?
• Are location, schedule and employment type accurate?
• Has duplicated or contradictory wording been removed?
• Would a qualified outsider understand the role?

After the vacancy closes, compare interview questions and the eventual offer with the description. If the team assessed work that was never mentioned, or ignored stated essentials, correct the role brief before the next hire.