How to Write a Darn Good Job Description

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There is something about writing a job description that is just…well…hard. As an employer, surely you’ve had an experience where you attempted to pen the perfect job description, but your words spilled out onto your computer screen in a jumbled mess. Be assured that a lack of finesse at writing job descriptions is nothing to fret over. Anyone can learn this skill. That means you.

How to Write a Good Job Description 

You don’t have to be a good writer to write a darn good job description. All you need to do is follow these 3 steps:

1) Start with the basics – When writing a job description, start with the basics: job title, purpose statement, list of duties, skills required, salary, job summary, etc. Find out more about how to do this here. Once this step is complete, you’ll have your rough draft.

2) Use correct wording – Once you have a rough draft of the job description, you’ll want to ensure you’ve used correct wording throughout it. To do this, double check that all verbs are in the present tense. Also, see that “he/she” is used in place of gender pronouns. Last, “Structure your sentences in classic verb/object and explanatory phrases,” states the article Writing Effective Job Descriptions. “Since the occupant of the job is the subject of your sentence, it may be eliminated. For example, a sentence pertaining to the description of a receptionist position might read: ‘Greets office visitors and personnel in a friendly and sincere manner.'” If this step intimidates you, don’t hesitate to ask for help.

3) Edit, edit, edit – Congratulations! You’ve made it to the third and final phase of writing a killer job description. For this step, send your second draft of the job description to a coworker or friend who has an eye for grammar. Ask him or her to read through the piece and suggest changes. Once you have edited the job description according to the editor’s guidance, send it back to him or her for one final read-through. After that, the job description is ready for publication!

One thing you should always strive to do when writing a job description is to make it concise and easy to understand. Although it should certainly be grammatically correct, it should also “flow” when being read. Any words or phrases that make it confusing or too wordy should be omitted. Job candidates will appreciate this.

Writing a standout job description is simple. Just remember to include all the basics (like job summary and required skills), use correct wording, and have a friend edit your work.

You’ve probably read through your fair share of job descriptions. What was the best one you had the pleasure of reading? What about the worst? Feel free to share a comment below.