A job description outlines the title and responsibilities of an open position within a company or organization. Great job descriptions also include information about the hiring organization as well as working perks and benefits—and can serve as an impactful first impression for prospective candidates.

With the labor market as competitive as it’s been in recent memory, making sure your job descriptions are attracting enough applicants—and the right applicants—is vital to expanding your team with top talent that best fit your culture.

Opinions vary on who should do the hiring at organizations, including who should write job descriptions, manage these postings, and even conduct interviews. In some cases, the hiring manager is overseeing the hiring process and the writing of job posts, not HR. 

In other cases, HR is responsible for adding new team members. In others still, the two work together to build out the work description and required skills to attract the specific candidates they want.

Either way, HR should play an important role in coaching hiring managers on best practices, as well as ensuring quality assurance and setting standards around postings and types of hires.

To write a great job description, approach the task as though you’re trying to sell the position to the best person for the job—the ideal candidate. 

Consider the following tips for your job description:

• Use a great job title: Avoid trendy terms that don’t accurately describe the role
• Present job responsibilities at a high level: Candidates should know what they’re applying for
• Outline job requirements: Detail what an ideal candidate would have in terms of experience for day-to-day operations
• Include a nondiscrimination clause: Always an important detail 
• Include working perks: Consider this your chance to pitch prospects on what makes working at your company so great
• List target compensation: A great way to ensure that both the company and the applicant aren’t wasting their time for a position that doesn’t meet their salary needs

Related Terms: Onboarding