http://recruiterbox.com/ | The goal of recruiters and hiring managers is to attract the best and brightest individuals to the organization. A clear, concise, well-written job description is key to drawing in the most qualified applicants.

1. HOW TO
WRITE A
S TANDOU T
JOB
DESCRIPTION
A Guide for
Hiring Managers
and Recruiters

2. ATTRACTING THE
RIGHT CANDIDATES
As a hiring manager or recruiter, your
goal is to attract the best and brightest
individuals to your organization.
A thorough and well-written job
description that clearly outlines the
qualities and skills you’re looking for in
a candidate will help you attract the
most qualified applicants.
Writing a job description presents an
opportunity for you to frame the role
as you’d like to see it, and enables you
to illuminate the atmosphere of your
organization to applicants (e.g. fast-paced
and professional, or creative
and flexible).

3. ANATOMY OF A
JOB DESCRIPTION
The following information applies to
nearly every job, whether part-time, full-time,
seasonal or contract-based.
1. Job Title & Summary
2. Department & Supervisor
3. Term and Type of Employment (e.g.
full-time, part-time, permanent,
seasonal, contract, etc.)
4. Skills & Qualifications
5. Key Areas of Responsibility
6. Organizational Atmosphere & Perks
7. Company Overview
8. Salary & Benefits Summary

4. 1. JOB TITLE &
SUMMARY
Job Title
• If one doesn’t already exist,
create a job title for the
position you’re looking to fill.
• Make sure the job title is
clear and captures the level
of responsibility (e.g.
assistant finance supervisor,
or senior writer).
Job Summary
• Write a brief description (2-3
sentences) about the
purpose of the position and
the general responsibilities
and duties the employee will
perform.

5. 2. DEPARTMENT &
SUPERVISOR
Department
• Indicate which department the applicant
would work for (e.g. accounting, customer
relations, etc.)
Supervisor
• Make it clear who the applicant would
report to and where that person falls
within the organizational structure (e.g.
“The senior communications
representative will report directly to the
Chief of Operations.”).
• Also indicate any individuals/departments
with whom the applicant would regularly
work or interact.

6. 3. TERM & TYPE OF
EMPLOYMENT
Term of Employment
• Make sure to indicate prominently
whether the position is
permanent, temporary, seasonal,
or contract-based.
Type of Employment
• Don’t bury important information
about whether the position is full-time,
part-time, or a paid or
unpaid internship in mountains of
text. Make sure this information
stands out prominently within the
job description.
• If the position is an unpaid
internship, you must follow the
federal legal criteria.

7. 4. SKILLS &
QUALIFICATIONS
List all of the skills required for the
position, and be specific.
For example, rather than writing
“Must be computer proficient,”
elaborate. “Must have experience
with MS Excel, Word, and
PowerPoint. Photoshop experience
preferred, but not required.” This
lets candidates know exactly what
is required.
Indicate the required or desired
education level for the position, as
well as years of experience and any
required or helpful certifications or
licenses.

8. 5. KEY AREAS OF
RESPONSIBILITY
When describing the key areas of
responsibility for the position (typically
between 5 and 10), use action verbs,
such as:
Research Delegate
Write Prepare
Communicate Maintain
Oversee
Indicate how often the applicant will
perform any given task and how much
time they’ll spend on it. This will help
them form expectations about the
demands of the job.
Also, be sure to indicate the location
of the position and clearly outline any
travel requirements.

9. 6. ORGANIZATIONAL
ATMOSPHERE & PERKS
This is your opportunity to play up
perks like gym memberships and
workplace wellness programs for
employees, and to describe the
atmosphere and culture of your
organization.
Honesty is key here and will help you
find candidates that are a good
match.
If “work hard, play hard” describes
the culture of your organization, say
so. If your company demands high
production but also strives to help
employees achieve work-life balance,
make it clear in the job description.

10. 7. COMPANY
OVERVIEW
Attracting applicants who are aligned
with the mission and values of your
organization to the greatest extent
possible is preferred, and for many
organizations, it’s essential.
Include a brief description about the
organization’s mission, goals, and size
(single location, multi-national, etc.)
Also indicate why you’re filling/adding
the position. For example: “Our
international marketing firm is seeking
to expand its reach in the U.S. and is
currently looking for a marketing
specialist…”

11. 8. SALARY &
BENEFITS SUMMARY
Unless your company has a specific
policy against posting information
about salary and benefits, include this
information in the job description.
Applicants will appreciate the
transparency, and including this
information up front will help filter out
unsuitable candidates.
If your company offers an attractive
benefits package that includes things
like a 401K, health savings account,
and medical, dental, and vision
coverage, be sure to highlight this.

12. Tips on Formatting
• Use bullet points and bolded
headings whenever possible.
• Write short paragraphs, which
are easier to consume.
• Use direct language and be
specific to help applicants
imagine themselves in the
position.
• Use action verbs to describe
duties and responsibilities.
• Highlight the culture of your
organization.
• Don’t forget to include contact
information.

13. Recruiterbox is the
developer of recruiting
software to help companies
efficiently track job
applicants. The intuitive,
easy-to-use software helps
recruiters manage dozens or
even hundreds of resumes
and interviews per week.
Created by Aplopio
Technology, the Recruiterbox
system was designed with
busy hiring managers in
mind. To learn more about
the company’s innovative
software, visit
recruiterbox.com.