A strong job description is specific, skimmable and honest about pay. Here is a step-by-step method, a copy-ready template, a filled-in example, the legal points to check and how to optimize the posting for search.
- Agree on the role’s purpose, must-have skills and pay with the hiring manager before you write a word.
- Use a standard job title candidates actually search for, and save internal level codes for your HR system.
- Separate true requirements from nice-to-haves. Long wish lists screen out capable people.
- Write the essential functions down before you advertise. Under the ADA, a written description prepared before advertising is evidence of what the job’s essential functions are.
- Include the pay range. Several states require it in postings, and it helps every candidate decide whether to apply.
In this article
To write a job description, start with a clear, searchable job title, a two- to three-sentence summary of why the role exists, five to eight responsibilities written as outcomes, a short list of must-have qualifications, the pay range, location and schedule, and how to apply. Keep it specific, skimmable and free of jargon. Below are a step-by-step method, a copy-ready job description template and a filled-in example.
Job description vs job posting
A job description is the internal document that defines a role: duties, qualifications, reporting line, physical requirements and pay grade. A job posting is the external ad you publish to attract applicants. Most employers write one document that does both, then trim it for the posting.
This guide covers writing a description that works for both. For the definition and what HR uses job descriptions for beyond hiring, see what a job description is. For the different posting formats, see our guide to types of job postings.
How to write a job description, step by step
1. Hold a short intake with the hiring manager
Before drafting, agree on why the role exists, what success looks like after 6 and 12 months, the must-have skills, the pay range and the interview steps. A written job requisition and a 30-minute intake meeting save rewrites later.
2. Choose a clear, standard job title
Use the title people search for: “Accounts Payable Specialist”, not “AP Ninja” or “Finance Associate II (Level 4)”. Add a level only if it helps candidates (“Senior”, “Lead”). Google’s job posting guidance says the title should be the job title only, without job codes, addresses, dates, salaries or company names. Note that a title doesn’t decide overtime status: the Department of Labor states that job titles do not determine exempt status; actual duties and pay do.
3. Write a two- to three-sentence summary
Say what the person will do, for whom, and why it matters. Put the most important information first, because many candidates read only the opening lines on a phone.
4. List responsibilities as outcomes
Give five to eight bullet points, most important first. Start each with a verb and, where you can, say how much or how often: “Process 150 to 200 vendor invoices a week in NetSuite” tells a candidate far more than “Handle invoices.”
5. Separate requirements from preferences
Limit “required” to what someone truly needs on day one, typically three to six items. Put everything else under “nice to have.” Ask of each degree or years-of-experience requirement: would we reject an otherwise excellent candidate without it? If not, move it or replace it with the skill it stands for. Our guide to skills-based hiring explains how.
6. Describe essential functions and working conditions
Include physical demands, travel, shift patterns and on-site requirements that are genuinely part of the job. This matters legally. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the employer’s judgment about which functions are essential is considered, and “if an employer has prepared a written description before advertising or interviewing applicants for the job, this description shall be considered evidence of the essential functions of the job” (42 U.S.C. § 12111(8)). Describe the function (“move packages up to 50 lbs”) rather than a method or trait (“must be able-bodied”).
7. State pay, benefits, location and schedule
Give a real pay range, the main benefits, where the work is done (on-site, hybrid or remote and from which states) and the hours. Several states now require pay ranges in job ads. For example, New York has required ads to include a good-faith pay range and a job description since September 17, 2023, and Massachusetts has required employers with 25 or more employees to disclose pay ranges in postings since October 29, 2025. Rules differ by state and city; see our guide to pay transparency laws by state.
8. Close with how to apply and what happens next
Say how to apply, the hiring steps, and roughly how long the process takes. Add your equal opportunity statement.
9. Review for bias and clarity
The EEOC says it is illegal to publish a job advertisement that shows a preference based on a protected characteristic; its own example is an ad seeking “recent college graduates,” which may discourage older applicants. Replace phrases like “digital native,” “young and energetic” or “recent graduate” with the actual skill or level you need, such as “entry-level” or “comfortable learning new software.” Read the draft aloud, cut jargon, and ask someone outside the team whether they understand the job.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check with employment counsel for your situation.
Job description template
Copy this template and replace the bracketed text.
[Job title]
[Company name] · [City, State / Remote (eligible states) / Hybrid, X days on-site] · [Full-time / Part-time / Contract] · [Pay range: $X–$Y per year or hour]
About the role
[2–3 sentences: what this person does, who they work with, and why it matters to the business.]
What you’ll do
- [Most important responsibility, with a number or frequency if possible]
- [Responsibility 2]
- [Responsibility 3]
- [Responsibility 4]
- [Responsibility 5]
What you need
- [Must-have skill or experience]
- [Must-have skill or certification]
- [Must-have tool or knowledge]
Nice to have
- [Preferred skill]
- [Preferred experience]
Working conditions
[Schedule, shifts, travel, physical requirements that are essential functions.]
Pay and benefits
[Pay range, bonus or commission, health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, other key benefits.]
Reports to
[Manager’s title]
How to apply
[How to apply, hiring steps, expected timeline.]
[Company] is an equal opportunity employer. [Your EEO and accommodation statement.]
Job description example: customer service representative
Here is the template filled in for a common role. The pay range below is illustrative; set yours from your own pay bands, government wage data or our Salary Guide.
Customer Service Representative
Example Co. · Columbus, OH (on-site) · Full-time · $[min]–$[max] per hour
About the role
You’ll be the first person our customers talk to when they have a question about an order. You’ll solve problems by phone, chat and email, and pass product feedback to our operations team so the same issues don’t come back.
What you’ll do
- Answer 40 to 60 customer calls and chats a day about orders, returns and billing.
- Resolve most issues on the first contact using our order system and knowledge base.
- Log every interaction accurately in Zendesk.
- Escalate complex cases to the right team and follow up until they are closed.
- Share recurring issues with the team lead each week.
What you need
- At least one year of customer-facing experience (retail, hospitality or call center counts).
- Clear written and spoken English.
- Comfort using two or more computer systems at once.
Nice to have
- Experience with Zendesk or a similar help desk tool.
- Spanish language skills.
Working conditions
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with one Saturday shift a month. Work at a desk with a headset for most of the shift.
Pay and benefits
Hourly pay with overtime, health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) with match, paid time off from day one.
Reports to
Customer Service Team Lead
How to apply
Apply online with your resume. Next steps: a 20-minute phone screen, a short typing and chat exercise, and a one-hour interview with the team lead. We aim to make a decision within two weeks.
For a senior professional example, see our general counsel job description guide.
How to optimize a job description so it gets found
A good description also has to reach people. Search engines and job boards read your posting’s text and structure to decide where it shows up.
- Put the standard title and location in the posting’s title and first lines.
- Use the words candidates use. If they search “warehouse associate,” don’t call it “fulfillment ambassador.”
- Repeat key skills naturally in the summary and responsibilities. Don’t keyword-stuff.
- Include the pay range, employment type and remote status, since job boards often let candidates filter on them.
- Keep it skimmable: short paragraphs and bullet lists.
- Don’t require a login to read the full description.
If you post jobs on your own careers site, add JobPosting structured data so your openings can appear in Google’s job search results. Google requires the title, description, datePosted, hiringOrganization and jobLocation properties, recommends baseSalary and employmentType, and says the description must be a complete representation of the job, formatted in HTML. Fully remote jobs should use the TELECOMMUTE job location type along with the countries applicants may live in. Our job posting optimization guide covers testing and distribution.
Common job description mistakes
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Internal or creative titles | Nobody searches for them, so the posting gets few views | Use the market-standard title |
| A long list of “requirements” | Capable people screen themselves out | Keep 3–6 true must-haves; move the rest to nice-to-have |
| Vague duties (“other tasks as assigned”) | Candidates can’t picture the job | Name specific outcomes, tools and volumes |
| No pay range | Candidates can’t judge fit, and it may break state law | Publish a good-faith range |
| Coded or exclusionary language | Discourages qualified applicants and creates legal risk | Describe the skill or level, not the type of person |
| Copy-pasted old descriptions | Duties and tools are out of date | Review with the hiring manager every time you post |
| A wall of text | Mobile readers leave | Short sections and bullets |
How Careerscape can help
Careerscape is a U.S. staffing and recruiting firm. When you hire through us, our recruiters work with you on the intake and job description, then find and screen candidates across many industries. Our free Salary Guide covers 450+ roles to help you set the pay range.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a job description be?
Long enough to answer a candidate’s main questions (what you’ll do, what you need, pay, location, schedule and how to apply) and no longer. For most roles that fits in a page, with five to eight responsibilities and three to six requirements. Senior or highly technical roles may need more detail on scope and decision rights.
What are the main parts of a job description?
Job title, location and employment type, pay range, a short role summary, key responsibilities, required qualifications, preferred qualifications, working conditions, benefits, the reporting line, how to apply, and an equal opportunity statement. The template above includes each of these in order.
Should a job description include salary?
Yes. Several states, including New York and Massachusetts, require pay ranges in job postings, and others have similar rules. Even where it isn’t required, a range helps candidates decide whether to apply and avoids surprises over pay late in the process. Use a good-faith range you’d actually pay.
Who should write the job description?
Usually the recruiter or HR writes it with the hiring manager, who knows the work best. The manager should confirm the responsibilities and must-haves; HR checks the title, pay range, legal wording and consistency with similar roles. Agree on it before the role is posted.
How often should job descriptions be updated?
Review a job description every time you post the role and whenever duties change significantly. Out-of-date descriptions attract the wrong candidates, and they can cause problems later if they no longer match the job’s real essential functions or pay.
- Legal Information Institute: 42 U.S.C. § 12111, Americans with Disabilities Act definitions
- EEOC: Prohibited employment policies/practices
- U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #17A, Exemption for executive, administrative, professional, computer and outside sales employees
- New York State Department of Labor: Pay Transparency Act FAQ
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Pay transparency in Massachusetts
- Google Search Central: Job posting structured data