The First Impression
Your job description is often a candidate's first interaction with your company. It's not just a list of requirements—it's marketing. It should:
- Sell the opportunity
- Reflect your culture
- Attract the right people
- Discourage the wrong people
Yet most job descriptions read like legal documents written by committee.
What Makes Job Descriptions Fail
The Wishlist Problem
Many job descriptions list every possible skill and qualification. The result:
- Qualified candidates self-select out
- Women and minorities disproportionately discouraged
- You attract overqualified or arrogant candidates
- The "requirements" become meaningless
The Generic Problem
Cookie-cutter descriptions that could apply to any company:
- "Fast-paced environment"
- "Competitive salary"
- "Great culture"
- "Make an impact"
These phrases say nothing and attract no one specifically.
The Mystery Problem
Descriptions that hide important information:
- No salary range
- Vague responsibilities
- Unclear reporting structure
- Hidden expectations
Transparency attracts candidates who are good fits.
Anatomy of a Great Job Description
1. Compelling Title
Clear, searchable, and accurate:
Good: "Senior Software Engineer - Backend (Python)" Bad: "Code Ninja Level III"
2. Hook Opening
Start with what makes this role special:
Good: "You'll own our payment processing system, handling $50M in transactions monthly and directly impacting customer trust."
Bad: "We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join our growing team."
3. About the Company (Brief)
One paragraph that conveys culture and mission:
- What you do
- Why it matters
- What makes you different
4. What You'll Do
Specific, concrete responsibilities:
Good:
- Build and maintain APIs that handle 10,000+ requests/second
- Collaborate with data science team on recommendation algorithms
- Mentor junior engineers on code quality
Bad:
- Coding and development activities
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Other duties as assigned
5. What You'll Bring
Distinguish must-haves from nice-to-haves:
Requirements (be strict):
- Only include what's truly required
- Be specific about experience levels
- Focus on skills, not proxies (see: skills-based hiring)
Nice-to-Haves (be honest):
- Things that would help but aren't essential
- Skills you could teach
6. What We Offer
Specific benefits and perks:
Good:
- "$140,000-$170,000 base salary"
- "Unlimited PTO with 3-week minimum"
- "Fully remote with optional co-working space"
Bad:
- "Competitive compensation"
- "Great benefits"
- "Work-life balance"
Writing Tips
Use Active Voice
Good: "You'll lead a team of five engineers" Bad: "The successful candidate will be responsible for leadership of an engineering team"
Be Specific
Good: "Experience with PostgreSQL and Redis" Bad: "Experience with databases"
Show Personality
Let your culture come through:
- Use language that reflects how you actually talk
- Include specifics that only you can claim
- Avoid corporate jargon
Include Salary
Organizations that post salary ranges get:
- More applicants
- Better-qualified applicants
- Faster hiring
- Reduced negotiation friction
Keep It Scannable
- Use bullet points
- Short paragraphs
- Clear headers
- Reasonable length (300-700 words ideal)
Inclusive Job Descriptions
Research shows that description language affects who applies:
Gendered Language
Avoid masculine-coded words: Aggressive, dominant, competitive, ninja, rockstar
Avoid feminine-coded words: Supportive, nurturing, collaborative (unless genuinely required)
Use neutral alternatives: Achieve, lead, develop, create
Exclusionary Requirements
Review for:
- Years of experience (potential age proxy)
- Degree requirements (often unnecessary)
- "Cultural fit" (can mean homogeneity)
- Location requirements (if remote is possible)
Accessibility
- Describe essential functions accurately
- Don't include physical requirements unless truly necessary
- Mention accommodation availability
Testing and Iterating
A/B Test Elements
Try variations of:
- Titles
- Opening lines
- Requirements sections
- Salary transparency
Measure Results
Track:
- Application volume
- Application quality
- Candidate diversity
- Time to fill
Gather Feedback
Ask new hires:
- How did the description match reality?
- What almost made you not apply?
- What was most compelling?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Too long: No one reads 1,500-word job descriptions
- Too vague: "Various responsibilities" tells nothing
- Jargon overload: Internal terms confuse external candidates
- Negative framing: "Must be able to handle stress" is a red flag
- Outdated content: Refresh descriptions for every posting
Template Structure
Use this framework:
Title: A compelling, searchable job title
Hook: One paragraph about the opportunity
About Company: One paragraph about who you are and why you matter
What You'll Do:
- Specific responsibility 1
- Specific responsibility 2
- Specific responsibility 3
- Specific responsibility 4
What You'll Bring:
- Must-have requirement 1
- Must-have requirement 2
- Must-have requirement 3
Nice to Have:
- Bonus skill 1
- Bonus skill 2
What We Offer:
- Salary range
- Key benefit 1
- Key benefit 2
- Key benefit 3
Equal Opportunity Statement: Brief EEO statement
AcquireTM helps you create and optimize job descriptions, then track which perform best. Learn more.
