How to write a job description
4-minute read
A well-written job description is the foundation required to build a solid job posting. It allows you to find the right candidate—one whose expectations have been met rather than one who quickly becomes disillusioned with the job.
A job description can also offer clarity to current employees whose jobs have been redefined. Communicating new roles in clear terms can avoid task duplication and the possible overstepping of responsibilities.
BDC Senior Business Advisor Émilie Poirier helps respond to requests from businesses that don’t have a human resources department. She often meets with a general manager or supervisor to help write job descriptions.
“We go in, sit down, and review all the job descriptions. Then, we work together to ensure the structure is well defined,” she says. This includes looking at organigrams, focusing first on roles and responsibilities, and then on accountability.
“We make sure the existing job descriptions are properly written and updated and that we understand what they do.”
Writing job descriptions
Poirier says that whether it’s for recruiting, performance, or talent development, you need to involve your employees in writing job descriptions. She says employees often find themselves with new duties and workloads, necessitating a rewrite of their job description.
“It’s an opportunity to communicate with them and understand what they’re doing,” she says. “We encourage employees to come forward if they notice their job evolving.”
“And my advice to managers is to ask their employees questions so that they understand that you know who they’re accountable to, as well as their roles and responsibilities,” she says, adding that this avoids duplication of tasks.
8 tips for writing good job descriptions
Writing effective job descriptions that set clear expectations is crucial for attracting qualified candidates and retaining employees. Keep in mind these tips when creating job descriptions:
1. Use clear language
Write concise and straightforward descriptions. Avoid jargon or overly complex terms. Candidates should easily understand what the role entails.
2. Maintain a positive tone
Job descriptions reflect your company’s culture. Use positive language to convey enthusiasm about the role and organization.
3. Be descriptive
Provide a snapshot of day-to-day tasks. Highlight key responsibilities, skills required, and the role’s contribution to your company’s mission and goals.
4. Keep a tight format
Organize responsibilities in bullet points or short paragraphs. Make it easy to read, but also easy to scan.
5. Showcase the position
Explain the impact the role has within the organization and how it contributes to overall success.
6. Promote the company
Briefly mention your company’s mission, culture, and benefits. This helps candidates understand your organization better.
7. Create realistic expectations
Be transparent about challenges and requirements. Set expectations that align with the role.
8. Highlight growth and development
Mention opportunities for learning, skill development and possible career advancement.
Roles and responsibilities
Poirier says if you want to write a good job description, it comes down to figuring out the role and responsibility of the employee—their title and what they do.
“Start thinking about the person you’re trying to attract and then write down a job description, making sure the roles and responsibilities are clear for that role.”
She says putting together , which explain the work an employee is expected to perform, can avoid overstepping authority and confusion over who does what at an organization.
“One person says, ‘I’m doing this’, and another says, ‘No, I’m doing that.’ Or there’s a job that’s at a lower pay grade, but the person is doing the work of a higher pay grade. That’s why it’s super important to maintain and make sure roles and responsibilities are up to date,” Poirier says.
Sometimes the roles and responsibilities get defined after a job has been split up.
“When I was a partner in a smaller mid-sized company, there was a controller who had too much on his shoulders. So, we talked to him about hiring a technician to help him out.”
We wrote down the controller role and figured out which responsibilities could be transferred to the new technician role.
“That really opened up communications around roles and responsibilities.”
Employees want to be heard, and the development of a job description is a perfect opportunity to increase their involvement.
Émilie Poirier
Senior Business Advisor, BDC
How to draft a job posting based on a job description
An effective job posting is essential for attracting the right candidates and setting clear expectations. It sets the tone for a successful hiring process. We build the posting based on the proper job description.
The writing needs to be concise, informative and engaging. Here are the main elements you need to include:
Job title
The job title should accurately reflect the role. Avoid vague or overly creative titles like “Software Engineer” or “Code Wizard.”
Company description
Provide a brief overview of your company, including its mission, culture and any unique selling points.
Job summary
Summarize the role’s purpose, key responsibilities and how it contributes to the company’s goals.
Responsibilities
Outline the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities. Use bullet points or short paragraphs for readability. Focus on what the candidate will do in the role.
Qualifications and requirements
Include any requirements around education certifications and relevant experience. Mention any specific software or tools the candidate should be familiar with.
Skills
Mention essential skills, technical expertise and qualifications required for the position.
Experience
Specify the level of experience (e.g., entry-level, mid-level, senior).
Soft skills
Highlight any desired interpersonal skills, such as teamwork and communication abilities.
Reporting structure
Mention whom the role reports to and any team members the candidate will collaborate with.
Benefits and perks
Briefly describe benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, flexible work hours and any unique perks your company offers (e.g., free coffee, bicycle storage, etc.).
Company culture
Share insights into your company’s work environment, values and team dynamics if relevant.
Application instructions
Specify how candidates should apply (e.g., through a website, email or application portal).
Who is responsible for writing job descriptions?
- Hiring managers
- Owners/CEOs
- HR departments
Why are job descriptions important?
“Employees want to be heard. Developing a job description is the perfect opportunity to increase their involvement,” says Poirier, adding that businesses often use the development of job descriptions to open new lines of communication with employees. It also speaks to the evolution of their role.
“Sometimes employees say, ‘Well, I’m not doing that anymore. I’m doing this’. Okay, so let’s update your job description to make sure we capture everything you do.”
How long should a job description be?
A job description should strike a balance between providing enough information without overwhelming the employee or losing their attention.
Generally, the ideal length of a job description falls within the range of 300 to 600 words.
What is an example of a job description?
The following example was created using BDC’s free Job description template
Key components of a job description
- Job title
- Company name and description
- Core values
- Location
- Department
- Description of duties
- Requirements (specific skill set, knowledge, experience or training required for the job)
- Qualities that are nice to have and would be an added advantage
- Benefits offered
- Compensation
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How to use AI to write job descriptions
Generative AI like ChatGPT can assist in creating job descriptions, saving you time and ensuring consistency in the industry.
This entails putting in a prompt such as “Create a 300-word maximum job description for the Senior Marketing Manager role at ABC-type of company.” The AI will then write the job description for you.
However, reviewing and tailoring the output to your organization’s specific requirements is essential. Also, be careful not to share any proprietary information about your business in the prompt.