How To Write A Job Description: Tips & Examples

Hiring the right person doesn’t start with interviews. It starts with knowing how to write a job description that helps candidates understand what they’re signing up for and whether they’re a fit for the role.

The best ones share a few things in common: they’re clear, specific, and realistic. The bad ones? It leads to mismatched work expectations, wasted interviews, and turnover down the line.

Here’s how to write one that attracts candidates to apply to your open role.

What is a job description?

Before diving into the details, it’s helpful to understand what a job description is.

A job description is a document that outlines the responsibilities and qualifications for a specific position within your organization. It serves as both a recruitment tool and an internal guide for performance and role clarity. A well-written one helps to:

• Set clear expectations for the role
• Align your recruiting team on what you’re actually hiring for
• Reduce back-and-forth during applicant screening
• Support long-term employee success by setting the right tone early

Key components of job descriptions

Whether you’re new to writing a job description or looking to update one, it must contain essential components. You don’t need to follow a rigid format, but at minimum, it should have:

• Job title and/or level
• Job summary or overview
• Primary and/or daily responsibilities
• Required and preferred qualifications or skills
• Work conditions like schedule, location, and reporting line
• Compensation and benefits (if available)
• Brief company description
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement

Learning how to write job descriptions that include these components will save you hours in the applicant screening process. It’s also a good strategy for attracting qualified candidates.

SEE: 12 Effective Hiring and Recruiting Strategies to Attract Top Talent

Job description template

Ready to write? Download this free job description template to get started.

The blue text shows what you can customize. Edit, rearrange, or delete them as needed. Once finalized, switch the font color to black for a clean, consistent look.

Download as Word | Google Doc

Looking for more than just a general template? Explore TechRepublic’s Hiring Kits for expert-vetted and optimized job descriptions. Each kit is available for a small fee to help you hire faster and smarter.

Steps for writing good job descriptions

You might be wondering: What is a job description supposed to look like?

There’s no one right way, but there are a few things every good one includes. The goal is to help qualified candidates see themselves in the role and get excited to apply. Here’s how to do that, step by step.

Step 1: Use a clear, specific, and keyword-optimized job title

Your job title is the first thing candidates see and a critical factor in search visibility. It should be specific and contain keywords candidates use when searching for jobs on platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed.

To ensure your posting appears in relevant searches, use industry-standard titles with clear seniority levels and specializations. Avoid jargon and internal labels that candidates won’t recognize, as well as creative titles like “Tech Wizard” or “Customer Happiness Guru.”

Here are some good examples:

• Senior Cloud Security Engineer
• Junior Data Scientist – Machine Learning
• Product Marketing Manager
• Human Resources Director

Tip: Check Indeed, LinkedIn, and major job boards to see what similar companies are using and whether those jobs resemble the one you’re hiring for.

Step 2: Share a brief company overview

You don’t need to copy and paste your company website’s “About Us” section here. Just include a few lines that speak to your work culture and mission. Skip the generic “fast-paced environment” or “work hard, play hard” phrases. Instead, be specific about what makes your culture.

For example:

At XYZ Company, we build real-time AI tools for critical infrastructure. As a remote-first team, we value clarity, autonomy, and work-life balance, so Slack shuts down after 6 PM. If you like solving tough problems without constant noise, you’ll fit right in.

Tip: Link to your company’s careers page or team blog if you have these. Candidates do their homework, researching information about your organization, so make it easy for them to find the good stuff.

Step 3: Write an engaging and concise job summary

Too many job descriptions just list duties like a checklist. That’s fine for internal documentation, but not so much for hiring. While you do need to enumerate the day-to-day responsibilities, it’s best to start with a strong summary that explains what the role is, how it contributes to the team, and why it matters.

Examples:

• We’re hiring a Network Administrator to manage infrastructure for our growing SaaS platform. You’ll work with security, engineering, and DevOps teams to keep systems fast, reliable, and secure.
• We’re hiring a Content Marketing Manager to help scale our inbound lead generation. You’ll work closely with product and sales teams to create campaigns that resonate with small business buyers.
• The Administrative Assistant supports daily office operations, schedules meetings, and handles front-desk responsibilities to keep the team running efficiently.

Think of the job summary as your elevator pitch to job seekers. It should be concise, describing the main goal of the role in one to two sentences. Keep it professional and make sure it reflects your company’s tone and values. Watch out for unintended bias in language.

SEE: Gender Decoder and blind resumes: How to remove bias in your hiring process

Step 4: List key responsibilities

This is where you provide the answer to: What will this person actually do all day? To address it, aim to list the top six to eight duties using action-oriented language. Start each bullet with a strong verb. Be specific, but keep each point short and skimmable.

Here are some job description examples:

• Prepare and distribute weekly sales reports using Excel and Salesforce.
• Monitor system performance and address bottlenecks.
• Partner with DevOps to implement disaster recovery procedures.
• Lead monthly content planning with cross-functional partners.
• Optimize landing pages for SEO and lead conversion.

Avoid bloated lists or every nice-to-have you can think of. If you enumerate over 15 tasks, you’re probably describing three roles, which can lessen your chances of attracting qualified candidates.

Step 5: Highlight the right skills and requirements

This is where many job descriptions go off the rails. Sometimes, companies lose good candidates because they list “5+ years of experience required” when they really needed someone who could think strategically, regardless of years in the field.

In listing the role’s skills and requirements, separate your must-haves from your nice-to-haves. This will help candidates self-assess their fit for the job.

For example:

Must-haves

• 3+ years of B2B content marketing experience
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Familiarity with SEO tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs

Nice-to-haves

• Experience managing paid search or social campaigns
• Knowledge of HubSpot or a similar CMS

Don’t overload the must-haves list as it can drive good candidates away. Be realistic and thoughtful. If you’re unsure, ask yourself, “Would I still interview someone who lacks this?” If yes, move it to the nice-to-haves list or cut it.

Tip: If the role doesn’t require a degree, focus on the skills needed. More companies are shifting to skills-based hiring, and 93% of recruiting pros said that evaluating skills accurately is the best way to improve hiring quality, according to LinkedIn’s 2025 Future of Recruiting report.

Step 6: Clarify work environment and compensation

Job seekers want to know what they’re signing up for. Be upfront about the work schedule, location, frequency of business travels (if any), and whether the role is remote, fully on-site, or hybrid.

You should also spell out who they report to, how big the team is, and how the role contributes to the overall company objectives. Plus, highlighting some of the key benefits and including a pay range, where legally allowed, helps build trust and increases the number of qualified applicants.

Example:

The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 to $130,000, with comprehensive health benefits, 401(k) match, and remote work flexibility.

Tip: Check online job boards for similar roles to see what competitors are offering. Use salary benchmarks to back up your pay range with real data and stay competitive. If you need help, check out our guide to the best salary benchmarking tools.

Step 7: Add an EEO statement

Demonstrate your commitment to an inclusive workplace by including a short EEO statement. This fosters a welcoming culture, broadens your talent pool, and sends a clear message about fair and inclusive hiring.

For example:

XYZ Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and identities. We consider all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. 

Step 8: Review for accuracy, bias, and SEO

Before publishing your job description, run through this quick checklist:

• Job title and summary are clear and keyword-optimized
• Responsibilities and qualifications are concise and realistic
• Language is inclusive and free from bias
• Schedule, location, pay range, benefits, and team structure are accurate
• Formatting is clean with clear headings and bullet points for easy readability
• The hiring manager or team lead has reviewed and approved the final draft

Job descriptions also aren’t “set it and forget it” documents. Regularly review and update them to keep up with shifting role expectations, new technologies, or changes in team structure.

Tip: Read the job description out loud. It’s the fastest way to spot jargon, clunky phrases, or long sentences. And if it doesn’t sound like something you’d say to a candidate in person, it’s worth revising.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about job descriptions

How long should a job description be?

The ideal is around 600 to 700 words. If under 300 words, you’re probably missing a few details. If it’s over 1,000 words, job seekers won’t likely finish reading it.

What is a five-point job description?

A five-point job description breaks the role into five clear sections: job title, summary, responsibilities, qualifications, and key work details like location, pay, and schedule. It keeps things focused and scannable, helping candidates quickly decide if the role fits.

How do I end a job description?

You can wrap it up with a brief call to action that encourages candidates to apply. You can also include a link to the application and any key details like deadlines or next steps. Add an EEO statement if needed, and keep the tone consistent with your company.

Can AI be used to help write job descriptions?

Yes, as a starting point. AI tools can help draft the structure and content, but final editing should always be done by someone who understands the role and hiring goals.