A  compelling job description is your secret weapon. It's the first impression you make on potential candidates, and a poorly crafted one can send them running for the hills. 

Here, we’ll go over how to create a winning job description that will help you source and attract the best candidates.

Let’s get into it. 

The main purpose of a job description

A job description should have three main purposes: 

1. Attracting candidates

A well-written job description acts as a marketing tool to attract potential candidates to apply for the position. It should give the applicant an accurate and compelling overview of the role, highlighting the responsibilities, qualifications, and opportunities associated with the job and company.

2. Setting expectations

Job descriptions clearly outline the duties and responsibilities expected of the employee in the role. By detailing the tasks, goals, and performance standards, job descriptions help candidates understand what will be required of them if they are hired.

3. Sourcing

Job descriptions serve as a roadmap for recruiters and hiring managers during the recruitment process. With modern tools now incorporating AI functionalities like ‘Search by Job Description’, a well-crafted job description will help the AI find and source candidates that 

Tips to create a winning job description 

Know your ideal candidate

Before you start typing, take a step back. Ask yourself: who is your dream candidate? Outline their skills, experience, and what you want to achieve by hiring them. 

Write enough for candidates to know exactly the day-in and day-out of the job.

Also, you can add the TLDR stuff at the top of the page with significant keywords. Be sure to list their top skills in bullet points, as it helps AI systems read JD. 

Captivating title

The job title and summary are your golden ticket. It is the first thing a candidate sees. Craft a clear, concise title that accurately reflects the role. The title should be: 

• Short: For example, if the role is an executive role, you can omit the full word “Manager” in the title and just put CTO or CMO. Candidates already know what they’re looking for and don’t need it spelled out.

• Realistic: If you’ve ever cringed at the sight of a guru, wizard, ninja, or unicorn in a job title, you’re not alone. Qualified candidates use realistic search terms to help them find a job. They’ll most likely be scrolling through tons of open jobs and your JD won’t be visible to them if you don’t put in the right title.

 In addition, AI systems will struggle to present you with qualified candidates (unless they have wizard or unicorn as their headline on LinkedIn). 

• Specificity: Using a multitude of buzzwords or being unclear about the responsibilities in your job title will confuse candidates. 

For example, if your job role says Senior Marketing Executive and the job incorporates some type of sales duties, it won’t yield any good results. 

Busy candidates know exactly when a company is trying to merge multiple roles into one. 

Skills

You don't need to write a dry, exhaustive list of skills. Instead, focus on the results and what the candidate will do. 

For example, instead of ‘Experience in creating web-browser extensions’ put in ‘You’ll be building out our new web-browser extension for our new project’. 

Also, too many listed qualifications will put off candidates. You’ll be surprised at how many qualified candidates skip a job ad due to thinking they’re underqualified. 

Perks and Benefits

Sure, salary is important, but it's not the only perk that matters.  Be sure to include other perks like: 

• Learning and development opportunities

Many entry-level employees want job security and a chance to grow themselves. Promote any employee training programs and resources you offer to help them become the best they can be.

• Healthcare

Health insurance is one of the top priorities for employees in the United States. It is worth including it in the job description

• Work-life balance

Offering work-from-home options and flexible schedules shows candidates that your company understands that life doesn’t revolve around work. Candidates appreciate these gestures. 

Salary

Salary transparency is now more important than ever. Many states have made it a federal requirement for companies to show the job’s salary in the job descriptions. 

Make sure you are also specific about salary and not include a vague range of anywhere between $50k-$300k.

It helps to filter out candidates and avoid haggling about salary and is just a generally good thing to do. 

Additional perks

Include perks that make your company unique and showcase your culture. For example, social gatherings, company trips, etc. 

Embrace Diversity and Inclusion

Demonstrate your commitment to creating a welcoming environment for everyone. Use inclusive language in your description and highlight any initiatives your company has in place to foster a diverse and thriving workplace.

Other bits of context

Make sure you provide enough context for candidates to grasp how it will feel working with you. Include:

Who they’ll report to: List who the candidates will report to and the current team, what 

The end user: Mention what your company does and who the end user is. It’ll give candidates an idea of what your overall purpose is as an organization. 

Latest achievements: Briefly describe your recent successes (projects, sales wins, milestones). This is important to candidates whose teams are metrics and results-driven.

FAQs

How can I optimize my job description for AI?

AI algorithms favor job descriptions that are written in clear, concise language. Avoid overly complex or lengthy descriptions that may be difficult for AI to interpret.

Use bullet points, short sentences, and straightforward language to convey key information effectively.

What is a good job description? 

A good job description is short, precise, engaging to the candidate, and optimized for AI algorithms

It provides a comprehensive overview of the company and showcases the company culture, the candidate's day-to-day duties, perks & benefits, and the overall mission of the organization. 

Example: 

Data Analyst - AI and Machine Learning

Company: Tech Solutions Inc.

Location: Remote

Summary:

Tech Solutions Inc. is seeking a talented Data Analyst with expertise in AI and Machine Learning to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for leveraging advanced analytical techniques and AI algorithms to extract insights from large datasets, drive data-driven decision-making, and support the development of AI-powered solutions.

Responsibilities:

Utilize AI and machine learning techniques to analyze complex datasets and extract actionable insights.

Develop predictive models, algorithms, and data-driven solutions to optimize business processes and drive innovation.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define data requirements, identify opportunities for AI integration, and develop solutions that meet business objectives.

Design and implement data pipelines, data preprocessing techniques, and feature engineering processes to prepare data for analysis and modeling.

Evaluate the performance of AI models and algorithms, iterate on improvements, and deploy solutions into production environments.

Stay current with emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in AI, machine learning, and data analytics, and share knowledge with the team.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.

3+ years of experience in data analysis, machine learning, or related fields.

Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or Java, and experience with libraries/frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or sci-kit-learn.

Strong understanding of statistical analysis, machine learning algorithms, and data visualization techniques.

Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and big data technologies (e.g., Hadoop, Spark) is a plus.

Excellent problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and attention to detail.

Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

What should I avoid putting on a job description? 

When crafting a job description, steer clear of:

• Discriminatory language or bias. For example: "We’re seeking a dynamic and energetic sales professional to join our fast-paced team. The ideal candidate will be a recent college graduate with a go-getter attitude and a hunger for success."
  
  

• Excessive jargon. Don’t flood it with buzzwords.
  
  

• Negative language or overly demanding tone. I.e. “Must be able to work long hours and handle high-pressure situations with ease”
  
  

• Unnecessary details or irrelevant information.
  
  

• Too vague. I.e: "We are looking for a talented individual to join our team as a Marketing Manager. In this role, you'll have the opportunity to lead high-impact marketing campaigns, work with cutting-edge technology, and lead a team of business development professionals."