Writing job descriptions is a topic close to my heart, firstly because it has to do with writing, which is my project topic of choice in most situations, and secondly because it was the first major project I tackled in my current role, which included re-writing our job description (JD) template and changing how job descriptions are written company wide.

I learned a lot and continue to learn as we iterate and make updates as a talent team.

Therefore, I am happy to walk others through drafting what very well may be the first impression candidates have of your organization. The basic things that make up a good JD are below, and you can find steps on taking your JD to the next level in Job Descriptions 201: From Good To Great post here.

Include a Relevant Job Title

It’s important to tailor your job title to the number of applicants you are hoping to receive. For example, if you just list HR Generalist as the job title, you are going to have a very large number of applicants, which is great if this is your goal, but if you are specifically looking for someone to handle all benefits for your company, perhaps a more specified title would make sense. Human Resources Benefits Specialist could be one example.

However, if you need a very specific set of skills, the opposite also holds true. If you know the job you are hoping to fill is very specific, to the point where no one has experience doing the exact thing you need but a certain background will work, tailor your job title toward the experience an incoming candidate may have.

A good way to research current job titles is doing a quick search on LinkedIn and Indeed for what you think you’re searching for and seeing how many open roles with that title are available in your area. If there are a ton available, maybe narrow your title down, and if there are none, look for similar titles that may have more options to base your title on. This will allow you to find the right candidates a little easier.

Include a Brief Company Overview

A great way to get candidates excited about your company, especially if you may not be a hugely well-known, multi-million-dollar corporation, is to provide a brief company overview to start off your job description.

List what your organization does, where its headed, and generally why someone would want to work for you. If you cannot come up with a reason why, do two things.

1. Re-evaluate your career choices

2. Go investigate the company descriptions from organizations you admire and take inspiration from them (Note: Do NOT plagiarize. You’re looking for inspiration, not a lawsuit)

In addition, please include in this section whether your role is hybrid, fully remote, or requires in-person. Let’s stop pretending in-person should be the default.

Include a (realistic) Salary Range

Some states already require this, and candidates at this point expect it. Do not waste their time or yours by making people guess the salary range based on requirements.

Even if you do not know what level a person will be brought in at, include a simple statement explaining that actual salary depends on years of experience while the range is based on the JD listed requirements, and POST IT.

Include (ONLY) Required Skills

If you are in the Talent industry long enough, you will hear this statistic, but it bears repeating as much as possible.

Women and minorities are less likely than men to apply for jobs where they do not reach 100% of the required skills. In fact, white males will apply even if they only meet 60% of the qualifications listed on the JD!

The best way to help combat this statistic is to list only the bare minimum required to score an interview in the job description. Anything else, including lack of soft skills and hiring manager preferences, can be weeded out in initial recruiter screens or early conversations.

Include Education (if you must)

Bouncing off my point above, education requirements in job descriptions are extremely classist, as are GPA requirements.

I don’t know about you, but I would rather have the person with a 3.2 GPA who worked 40 hours a week supporting themselves through college and came a long way than someone who got a 4.0 but never worked hard a day in their life. A GPA requirement means employers lose out on people who may have come a lot farther than their straight-A counterparts.

For example, I got a 3.2 in my BA and a 4.0 in my MBA. The difference? My support system. Don’t judge a book by its GPA.

There are a lot of other systemic issues with colleges and elitism, but that is a conversation for another day. Unless your job ACTUALLY requires skills learned getting a degree and cannot be learned from hands-on experience, don’t include education requirements. And for the sake of us non-trust-fund babies everywhere, scrap the GPA line.

Include Benefits

Benefits get candidates excited about the potential of working for your company.

Have health insurance and a 401(k)? List it
Have a ping pong table? Eh, maybe not. It’s too cliché at this point

I don’t think I need to say anything else here, but please send in a question to me if you have one.

Put It All Together and Make a Template

Utilizing the key tips above, lay it all out in a template that makes sense. This template should be shared with whoever writes job descriptions in your organization, and currently open job descriptions should be updated to fit this format, giving your organization a streamlined look and simplified process. An example of a basic job description might be:

{JOB TITLE}

{LOCATION OF COMPANY and ONSITE/HYBRID/REMOTE)

{BRIEF COMPANY OVERVIEW}

Example: Here at {INSERT COMPANY NAME}, we {INSERT WHAT COMPANY DOES WELL}.

We are excited to be opening this role to great new talent to help us accelerate our {INSERT COMPANY GOAL HERE}.

Apply below and help us succeed!

You will... {INSERT WHAT THE ROLE WILL DO IN UP TO 4 SENTENCES}

Required Skills:

· {LIST REQUIRED SKILLS}

Salary Range: {INSERT SALARY RANGE}

Benefits:

· {LIST BENEFITS}

Regardless of what stage you are at in growing your organization, these basic guidelines will help you draft simple job descriptions that help you attract the right talent to your organization.

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