Handbook
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Hiring & Team
Writing Job Descriptions That Attract Great Candidates
Your job description is often the first impression. Here's how to write one that attracts the right people.
Job descriptions are marketing. They’re how you attract candidates and set expectations. A generic, boring description gets generic, disengaged applicants. A compelling, clear description attracts people who want to work with you.
What a Job Description Must Do
Attract the Right People
Not everyone—the right people.
The right candidates should think:
•
“This is exactly what I’m looking for”
•
“I could excel at this”
•
“This company sounds interesting”
Filter the Wrong People
Save everyone time.
Wrong candidates should think:
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“This isn’t for me”
•
“I don’t have this experience”
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“This culture isn’t my style”
Set Expectations
Clarity about what the job actually is.
•
What they’ll do day-to-day
•
What success looks like
•
What the environment is like
Structure of a Great Job Description
1. Hook / Opening
First paragraph matters most.
Include:
•
What the company does (briefly)
•
Why this role matters
•
What makes this exciting
Example:
“We’re building [product] to solve [problem] for [who]. We’re looking for [role] to [impact]. This is a chance to [exciting opportunity].”
2. About the Role
What they’ll actually do.
Be specific:
•
Key responsibilities (5-8 bullets)
•
Who they’ll work with
•
What they’ll own
Avoid:
•
Vague language (“drive results”)
•
Endless lists of everything
•
Corporate speak
3. About You
What you’re looking for.
Required:
•
Must-have skills and experience
•
Keep it focused (5-7 items)
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Things they truly need
Nice to have:
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Bonus qualifications
•
Things that would help but aren’t required
Be honest: If something is truly required, say so. If it’s flexible, say that.
4. About Us
Why work here.
Include:
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What you’re building and why
•
Stage and traction
•
Team and culture
•
What makes you different
Be real: Generic statements don’t differentiate.
5. Compensation and Benefits
What you’re offering.
Include:
•
Salary range (required in many places, good practice everywhere)
•
Equity
•
Benefits highlights
•
Location/remote
6. How to Apply
Clear next steps.
Include:
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How to apply
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What to include
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What to expect in the process
Writing Tips
Be Specific
Vague:
“Own the product strategy.”
Specific:
“Define the product roadmap for our mobile app. Run discovery with customers. Prioritize features based on user research and business impact.”
Specificity helps candidates self-select.
Use Active Voice
Passive:
“Responsibilities include management of engineering team.”
Active:
“Lead a team of 5 engineers building our core platform.”
Active voice is clearer and more engaging.
Show the Impact
Why does this role matter?
Before:
“Build features for our product.”
After:
“Build features that help [customers] achieve [outcome]. Your work will directly impact [metric].”
Connect work to meaning.
Be Honest About Challenges
Transparency builds trust.
“We’re early stage. Things change fast. You’ll be building process from scratch. If you want established structure, this might not be for you.”
Right candidates will appreciate honesty.
Skip the Clichés
Everyone is “fast-paced” and “mission-driven” and wants “rock stars.”
•
What’s actually different about you?
•
What’s the real culture like?
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What specifically makes this interesting?
Generic language attracts generic candidates.
Requirements Section
Must-Have vs. Nice-to-Have
Be honest about what’s required:
If you’d hire someone without skill X, it’s not required.
Overly strict requirements:
•
“5+ years experience required” (when 3 would be fine)
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“Must have [specific technology]” (when they could learn)
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Long lists of requirements
Result: Qualified candidates self-select out.
The Problem with Laundry Lists
Long requirement lists:
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Intimidate qualified candidates
•
Especially affect underrepresented groups
•
Often not actually required
Research shows: Men apply when meeting 60% of requirements. Women apply when meeting 100%.
Better Approach
Required (3-5 items):
Things you truly need.
Nice to have (2-3 items):
Things that would help.
State explicitly:
“We’d love to hear from you even if you don’t meet every requirement.”
Common Mistakes
Too Long
Multi-page job descriptions.
Fix: Keep it to 1-2 pages max. Focus on what matters.
Too Generic
Could be any company, any role.
Fix: Include specific details about your company and this specific role.
Unclear on Seniority
Is this entry-level or senior? Unclear.
Fix: Be explicit about level and expectations.
No Salary Range
Makes candidates guess if it’s worth applying.
Fix: Include range. It saves everyone time.
All Requirements, No Selling
Just a list of demands.
Fix: Sell the opportunity, not just the requirements.
Corporate Speak
“Synergize stakeholder alignment to drive ROI.”
Fix: Write like a human. Clear, simple language.
Formatting
Easy to Scan
Most people skim.
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Use headers
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Use bullet points
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Keep paragraphs short
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Bold key information
Mobile-Friendly
Many read on phones.
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Short paragraphs
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Clear formatting
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No walls of text
Inclusive Language
Why It Matters
Language signals who’s welcome.
Gendered language: “He will lead…” excludes half of candidates.
Aggressive language: “Crush it,” “killer instinct” signals culture some won’t want.
Best Practices
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Use “you” instead of gendered pronouns
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Avoid unnecessarily aggressive language
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Focus on what the role involves, not personality stereotypes
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State commitment to diversity if genuine
Tools
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Gender decoder tools
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Textio and similar platforms
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Have diverse reviewers read it
Example Template
[Role] at [Company]
[1-2 sentence hook: What is this role and why is it exciting?]
About Us
[2-3 sentences: What you do, who you serve, what stage you're at]
About the Role
You'll [own/lead/build] [specific area]. This is a chance to [impact].
Day-to-day, you'll:
• [Responsibility 1]
• [Responsibility 2]
• [Responsibility 3]
• [Responsibility 4]
• [Responsibility 5]
What We're Looking For
Required:
• [Must-have 1]
• [Must-have 2]
• [Must-have 3]
Nice to have:
• [Bonus 1]
• [Bonus 2]
[Note about not needing to meet every requirement]
What We Offer
• [Salary range]
• [Equity]
• [Key benefits]
• [Location/remote]
How to Apply
[Clear instructions]
Key Takeaways
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Job descriptions are marketing—they attract and filter candidates
•
Hook them in the opening paragraph; don’t bury the good stuff
•
Be specific about what they’ll actually do, not vague platitudes
•
Keep requirements focused: 3-5 must-haves, 2-3 nice-to-haves
•
Long requirement lists scare off qualified candidates, especially underrepresented groups
•
Include salary range—it saves everyone time
•
Sell the opportunity, not just list demands
•
Skip corporate speak and clichés; write like a human
•
Be honest about challenges—transparency attracts the right people
•
Check for inclusive language; words signal who’s welcome
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