How to Write a Job Description That Attracts the Right Candidates

How to Write a Job Description That Attracts the Right Candidates

A job description is often the first impression a candidate has of your company. A well-written one filters in the right people and filters out the wrong ones before you've read a single application. A poorly written one either repels qualified candidates or attracts a flood of people who aren't a fit.

What Should a Job Description Include?

A strong job description has five parts:

1. A clear job title. Use the title the candidate would search for, not an internal title. "Senior Software Engineer" works. "Engineering Wizard III" does not.
2. A short intro about the company and role. Two to three sentences. What does the company do? What problem does this role solve? Why is it exciting?
3. Responsibilities. Use bullet points. Focus on outcomes, not activities. "Own the data pipeline and ensure 99.9% uptime" is better than "work on data things."
4. Requirements. Split these into must-haves and nice-to-haves. If you list twenty requirements, qualified candidates will self-select out. Keep must-haves to the things you truly cannot compromise on.
5. Compensation and benefits. Candidates who don't see a salary range often assume the worst. Transparency here increases application quality.

How Do You Write a Job Description That Avoids Bias?

Biased language in job descriptions reduces the diversity of your applicant pool without you realizing it. A few things to watch for:

• Avoid gendered language. Words like "aggressive," "dominant," and "rockstar" skew male. Words like "nurturing" and "collaborative" can skew female. Neither is wrong, but both create signal.
• Remove unnecessary requirements. "Degree required" filters out strong candidates who are self-taught. Ask yourself whether the degree actually predicts performance.
• Don't ask for more years of experience than the role requires. Asking for five years of experience in a technology that's two years old signals carelessness.

How Long Should a Job Description Be?

The ideal length is 300 to 700 words. Long enough to give candidates a clear picture, short enough to hold their attention. Descriptions over 1,000 words see meaningfully lower application rates.

Should You Include Salary in a Job Description?

Yes. Salary transparency increases application quality and reduces wasted time on both sides. Candidates who apply knowing the range are self-selected for fit. Candidates who would never accept the range don't apply at all. Several US states now require salary ranges in job postings. Including them proactively is good practice regardless of where you operate.

How to Write the Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph is the most important part of the description. Lead with what makes the role interesting, not with boilerplate about the company. Candidates read the first two sentences and decide whether to keep reading. Make those sentences count.

Bad example: "Acme Corp is a fast-growing company that values innovation and excellence. We are seeking a talented individual to join our team."

Good example: "You'll own the backend for a product used by 50,000 teams. You'll be the third engineer and have a direct line to the founders on architecture decisions."

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should you update a job description? Review and update job descriptions every time you open a role. Requirements change, the team evolves, and language that worked two years ago may no longer reflect the role.

Should job descriptions list every responsibility? No. Focus on the five to eight most important responsibilities. A comprehensive list of every task is intimidating and often inaccurate.

What's the difference between responsibilities and requirements? Responsibilities are what the person will do. Requirements are what they need to bring to do it well. Both belong in a job description but should be clearly separated.