Definition
Typical structure of an effective job description
Essential Sections
| Section | Content | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Job Title | Clear, market standard title | Fanciful title not searched for |
| Company Overview | Mission, culture, size, sector (3–5 lines) | Too long or overly corporate |
| Key Responsibilities | 5 to 8 concrete and prioritised responsibilities | Endless list of 20+ points |
| Required Skills | Hard + soft skills, separate essential from desired | Unrealistic profile with too many requirements |
| Conditions and Benefits | Salary, remote work, hours, benefits | No mention of remuneration |
| Recruitment Process | Steps, timelines, contact people | Missing from 70% of job descriptions |
Write an inclusive and attractive job description
Quality checks before publishing
- Neutral and inclusive language
Avoid gendered or exclusionary phrasing ("young and dynamic")
- Maximum 6 essential skills
Beyond that, women and minorities apply less
- Salary range displayed
Increasingly required and a major attractiveness lever
- Concrete action verbs
"Manage", "Design", "Coordinate" rather than "Be responsible for"
- Scannable format (bullets, headings)
Candidates spend 14 seconds on average scanning a listing
- 1
Interview the operational manager
Understand the real stakes of the role, priorities for the first 6 months and truly essential skills.
- 2
Benchmark competitor postings
Analyse 5 to 10 similar listings to identify market standards and your differentiation points.
- 3
Write from the candidate perspective
Answer the questions candidates ask: "What will I do? With whom? In what environment? For what salary?"
- 4
Have a peer review
Someone in that role can validate relevance and correct recruiter blind spots.
What is the difference between job description and job specification?
Should I include the salary in the job description?
What is the ideal length for a job description?
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